An Era of Discord
by Oozeh
Summary: In a time when discord governs the ideals of the people, the Empire and the Republic once again agree to disagree — and the onset of war is near. Featuring Pokemon characters in the Zoids universe. This actually takes place countless years after the events of Guardian Force for those familiar. Hope to actually complete this. Enjoy (if you can).
1. Something Old, Something New

So they were at it again. The Empire and the Republic were at odds, threatening to declare war on each other. There wasn't a clear answer to how it started; perhaps it was just tradition. There needn't be a reason for rivalry, it merely sparked anew whenever it wanted. Not even the Guardian Force could resolve the situation that called for action, not words.

So far, nothing significant had yet occurred. The opposing sides waged a cold war that dragged on for about a year. The Empire, however, was going through its own troubles; its emperor was on the verge of death, and his successor was hardly interested in ruling the nation. This conspired to give the Empire's regent more than enough reason to claim the throne for himself. Surely, he would stop at nothing to rule the Empire once its current leader passed on.

As for the Republic, they had no real issues. Maybe a bit short on manpower and funds to provide proper equipment, but really nothing pressing. The Guardian Force was doing the best out of them all, not surprisingly. After so many years since its formation, the Guardian Force was still the group to call upon for just about anything. Its members were mostly Republic or Imperial soldiers, since it was formed by both the Republic and Empire, or those trained exclusively for service in the Force.

If ever war were to break out, the Guardian Force would definitely be in the middle of it. In order to secure peace, they too would have to wage war against two of the most powerful forces of the land.

* * *

><p>Dust rose into the infinite blue above as impact was made with the dirt. Some chunks of the earth flew high, scattering in all directions, and large indentations were made in the freshly exposed soil. A Zoid, a Saber Tiger, had fallen heavily when a nearby explosion sent it backwards, and its once shimmering silver armor now became dulled with a shower of dirt and dust. It took no serious damage, promptly rising back to its paws and growling resentfully at another Zoid in front of it—the cause of its humiliation.<p>

The other, a Command Wolf of crimson, stalked forward, taking no defensive stance as its pilot issued a tease to the pilot of the Tiger.

"Are you ready to give up yet?" The sneer on his face was obvious through his haughty voice.

The Saber Tiger roared at his words, no doubt reflecting its own pilot's feelings. It pulled its massive body back for a spring, but the Command Wolf quickly fired off a batch of missiles from pods on either of its flanks, not even attempting to move out of range of the blasts that erupted upon impact with its opponent. It acted quickly while the Saber Tiger hadn't, and the feline was struck once again directly by the missiles that had downed it previously.

"Come on!" the Wolf's pilot laughed. "This is too easy! You've got to be holding back."

The Tiger hadn't gone down this time, but it lowered itself so its weight would keep it grounded, its belly almost brushing the earth. Its armor chipped in various places, namely on its shoulders and head—dangerously close to the cockpit—but it was fiercely resilient and still opposed the Command Wolf.

A male voice from the Tiger suddenly echoed through the battlefield. "Come on, Grimsley, you know my Saber Tiger doesn't like patronizing. _I_ don't mind, but my Zoid's another story."

"What?" the Wolf's pilot chuckled. "Don't let your imagination do the talking for you—"

He gasped, cutting his words short as a silvery blur barreled into him, sending his Zoid skidding back until it flipped over on its frail limbs. With a crash, Grimsley found himself on his side, frantically attempting to right his Zoid, but the Saber Tiger sprawled over it to pin it down. The Tiger growled, perhaps as a warning for the Wolf to keep itself still, and its pilot broke out in laughter over the radio system.

"You're right! I _was_ holding back!" He was ecstatic after having turned his luck around, and hearing the silence sent over from Grimsley's end was all he needed to feel further satisfaction.

Before any more bantering could take place, another voice came through their communications—one that held authority: "That's enough, the both of you. I'm finished. You can get back to base now."

"_Commander!_" barked Grimsley. "You _had_ to wait until he got the upper hand to call this off?!"

"It's not on purpose, Grimsley," replied the other. "Now come back so I can give you your reports."

With a huff, the other pilot let his Zoid move away, giving the Command Wolf the opportunity to move. Finishing off his opponent, who was in reality his ally, was not the idea, anyway.

"Thanks for nothing, Emmet," Grimsley growled bitterly. His Command Wolf managed to push itself back on all four paws, giving a light shake of its armor to unsettle the loose dust. It had not felt as cheated as its pilot, not that it mattered to him in the first place.

Emmet, as he was so called, apologized lightly to his comrade as his Saber Tiger took off in the direction of their headquarters. Grimsley was mad now, but he would soon let it pass. It was all for research, they understood, but Emmet and his Zoid saw a win as a win nonetheless. The Zoid roared triumphantly as it pounded ahead, the Command Wolf lagging behind as it and its sullen pilot followed. This had become routine.

Through the blank wasteland, the two Zoids never broke apart as they made their way, fully familiar with their environment just as their pilots were. Far from Guardian Force headquarters, a small base rested lonely near a grand dirt road that connected the Republican nation to the Imperial. This was where they were headed; the central, and only, base belonging to the Fox Hunt division of the Guardian Force. It was their home, their workplace, but one that was scarcely populated. Grimsley and Emmet were just two of its military-grade pilots. In actuality, the division was small, relatively new, and not widely known. Still, its members came from promising sources.

After some time—perhaps hours; it couldn't have been said—the small convoy arrived at its base of operations. Surprisingly, the Saber Tiger had appeared more lively and at health _after_ the pummeling it received. Then again, it had won the practice match. The Command Wolf remained at its heels, less damaged but more humiliated.

The Saber Tiger slowed to a stop in front of the building, a few smaller Zoids walking past it as they examined the perimeter. These were lower ranking pilots, providing patrol service in Grimsley's stead. He was the pilot in charge of patrolling their territory, and rarely wanted or needed help in doing so. Other pilots would fill in only when he was absent.

The base was split into two sections; the hangar was at one end, and the base of operations was on the opposite end. With requested permission, Emmet and his colleague were allowed access into the hangar. They presently docked their Zoids, fitting them into their respective places among the others that stood inactive, and climbed out of the cockpits.

As the two joined, their striking difference in appearance was made apparent. Emmet had to look _down_ at Grimsley; he was upwards of six feet in height, and Grimsley by now had become accustomed to talking to someone who was literally over his head. If Grimsley tried harder, he could've stretched out to nearly a clean six feet. Some things were not meant to be. He did, however, carry an impressive head of medium to long navy hair which had been styled to look as if he had a pair of short wings on either side of his head, although a lock of it draped over his brow which didn't seem to bother him in the least. Emmet's hair was shorter, yet shaggier, and thus his face was easier to see (despite the intimidating sideburns he'd been growing). He had his hair dyed—or perhaps it was a natural—silver, or light gray, and even his eyes were the same shade. It was highly unusual among the populace. There couldn't have been anyone else like him.

But then there was the only similarity between them: their very basic, very easy-on-the-eyes uniform. Most members of Fox Hunt wore the same light blue jumpsuit, combat boots, and fingerless gloves. The suit was made of a light, flexible material that didn't make them any hotter and also helped to keep their body temperature from lowering. The suit was tight to their skin, so it was moderately comfortable to wear—sometimes. The Guardian Force emblem was stitched onto the front of their uniforms in gold thread, making it easily visible while keeping it small enough. The dark gray gloves were simply used for protecting their hands when piloting and giving them better grip on the controls. Other than that, the two men were opposites in almost every way.

With some mild bickering, they made their way into the main building. Having lived in the same building for years, they knew the base like the backs of their hands, and the two officers blindly let their memories navigate them to their desired area. The pair was soon faced with two heavy doors, and Grimsley was first to enter. A digital panel to the side was what he interacted with; he pulled off his left glove and placed his bare palm on the cool surface. A light shone from underneath. It scanned his fingerprints and the lock to the door was undone. He gestured at Emmet to hurry behind him, and the two swiftly made their way into the control room.

An authoritative figure glanced at each one of them, offering a smile and welcoming them as they entered. "Fine work today," he said simply, sounding pleased. He was a blond, with something like a soft blue plume swirled around his head. It appeared to be suspended in the air, only held upright by the man's scalp.

As it turned out, he was the acting commander of the entire division—the man in charge of all these subordinates, and the same man responsible for these bothersome tests. But he was pleasant, not at all intimidating; on the contrary, he was full of encouragement. "Grimsley, what did you think of the new missile pods?"

"Subpar," Grimsley answered with phony indignation. They were all right to him, really, but his loss made him feel they were more inferior than he knew. Plus, it was fun to test the Commander's patience. "They're okay, but not for me."

"I suspected as much," Colress, the other, argued. "We have other Zoids that can benefit from missiles. We can't squander our resources."

"Sir, what's the report?" Emmet asked as he suddenly interjected. He was impatient to get to the point of the matter. His silvery eyes anxiously darted over to the monitors behind Colress which displayed vast amounts of information that Emmet frankly couldn't process.

Colress was brightened by the change of subject. He turned to the console behind him and began pouring over the numbers, however very briefly. There was a moan from Grimsley before the superior officer spoke up.

"You've shown slight improvement since the last exercise. To be more precise, your _Zoid_ has improved, not necessarily you."

"How's that?" Emmet wondered, unsure of what was meant.

"These improvements are slight, mind you," Colress explained, "but significant enough for my research. Your Zoid reacted seconds faster, and with more accuracy. You had nothing to do with that, I'm afraid. In fact, _you_ were a factor that kept the Zoid from performing better."

"That's a bummer," Grimsley teased.

Emmet became deflated at this, but he wasn't completely disappointed. His Saber Tiger had managed to give a better performance on its own, without his help.

"This serves as further proof that Zoids can make impressive strides on their own," Colress concluded, a proud smile on his face. "Because of your own limited abilities, Emmet, the Saber Tiger could only do so little today. But I'm sure with your own improvement you'll be able to match your Zoid's progress."

Emmet nodded, understanding that he still had a lot of growing to do. He kept his expression neutral, but the tone of his reply signified he was already feeling better about himself. "Yes, sir. I think so too."

"Your Zoid obviously feels you're worthy enough to expend itself," Colress added, to which Grimsley gave a complaint.

"Commander! Not that again," he groaned, sounding exasperated with the subject. He'd heard it more times than he could count, more than he liked to remember. "You shouldn't fill his head with those fantastic ideas of yours."

"Meanwhile, you _and_ your Command Wolf have shown no improvement."

"That is far, far beside the point, sir," Grimsley replied, though less passionate than before, quelling his temper upon Colress' unsatisfactory report. "You realize that you're the only person chasing these wild dreams? Emmet's Saber Tiger improved only because of its programming. Zoids are supposed to learn in order to perform better. You _know_ that."

"Grimsley, we can argue about this until another meteor shower strikes the planet—which would possibly take thousands of years, if the possibility is there at all." Colress gave him a sympathetic smirk, turning away to address the monitors in front of him. "Let me conduct my work the way I've planned it. You both are under my command, and even though _you_ have already made up your mind before you even got here, Emmet is more willing to believe. And he does; I know. You can't understand how much I can benefit from his point of view."

An uncomfortable spell of silence drifted among them, with the only noises coming from the machines in the room and the other personnel breathing and shifting around. Emmet stood there quite unsure of how to respond, and Grimsley suddenly was overcome with some slight regret. But only slight.

"These numbers tell me so much," the commanding officer observed. He turned to face his subordinates, nodding to signify the subject was finished, and he focused on Emmet again, smiling compassionately. "Emmet, I except more good work in the future. You could definitely teach the others what it means to discipline yourself."

"Yes, sir! Have no doubts, sir!" The youngest of the three was enthusiastic with his response, giving his commander a salute. He wasn't exactly sure how to make himself an example, but he agreed only to please his superior, and a part of him wanted to show what he was worth.

"You're both dismissed."

With their attention no longer required, the two officers left their commander to the rest of his work. Outside, they walked back the way they'd come, taking some time to talk.

"Emmet," Grimsley began, "you really shouldn't let him influence you. I know he's very convincing when he goes on about his beliefs—"

"I believe him. I'm sorry," Emmet interrupted, "but he doesn't need to influence me. I have different feelings from yours."

"But he doesn't make any sense. I feel sorry for him."

"Just let him do what he likes. His work is his life."

"That's sad. To think that a lie is all he has?" Grimsley crossed his arms as he continued. "It's not too late for you to realize what's real and what's fantasy. But Colress is too far gone now. There is no changing him."

"I can't say the same," Emmet replied, looking down at his feet as he went. Wanting to avoid dragging on the discussion, he said nothing that would back up his opinion but instead diverted the subject. "In any case, I thought the missile pods were great when fired up close."

"That's not the point of a missile. I don't know, they're not for me. And they add weight to my Zoid, which I could go without."

After that comment, Grimsley parted ways with Emmet and headed back to the crew's quarters. He left Emmet with a simple goodbye in the middle of the base, whereupon the lone officer made his way back to the hangar with a relieved sigh. He was grateful Grimsley hadn't prolonged their discussion, which most likely would have turned into an argument with yelling on Grimsley's end. He had different ideas, but his were in the majority; Emmet and Colress were a struggling minority, with the world blind to their perspective.

Nevertheless, Emmet held hope, and as he breezed into the hangar he smiled at the sight of his Zoid. The lights were bright upon its armor, however after its tumble in the dirt, it was no longer as shiny as its pilot liked to keep it. And only then did Emmet remember the damage Grimsley's missiles had done to it at close range; its face was chipped, dented, scratched, its fangs were scored, and its shoulders and chest were marked; and in all of these areas there were burned silver patches. The poor thing looked worse than it felt.

Seeing all this gave Emmet a sudden feeling of regret for letting his Zoid suffer such amounts of superficial damage. If he were a more capable pilot, he'd have been able to avoid the Command Wolf's missile fire. Emmet approached his Zoid, considering polishing it up and buffing away the easier blemishes. He'd have to repaint it, repair the dents, and replace the missing pieces of armor. Poor thing!

He patted its paw to comfort it. He knew it could feel his intentions despite not seeing firsthand evidence of its acknowledgement. But he knew, and that's all that satisfied him. Deep in the Core, the Saber Tiger was as conscious as he.

It disappointed the pilot that his Zoid never showed any convincing sign of its consciousness. He wondered why it was reluctant, or unable to. Maybe Emmet was not trustworthy enough, or the Zoid was fearful of paranoid backlash it could receive from other humans who were not as open-minded. Emmet desperately wanted to understand the Tiger better—and all Zoids—so that at last he could help show the people of the world that Zoids were indeed alive, just as they were once believed to be. He so badly wanted to give his commander's work this kind of push.

For now, however, he'd have to satisfy himself with his own private mind, humoring a belief he wasn't able to give any validity to. Emmet couldn't possibly get inside Colress' mind and try to imagine what _he_ was going through. As far as Grimsley was concerned, the commander was fighting a losing battle, and sometimes it really did look that way to Emmet, too.

"We'll do better next time," he assured his Zoid, speaking quietly, almost personally. All he could do at the time was promise their partnership would continue. That, and try to pretty the grungy Tiger up a bit.


	2. House Guest

It only took a few hours before Emmet's attention was called again. Something had come up, and he found himself making his way back to the command center—along with his colleagues. It must have been something important if everyone was required to assemble. He excused himself from his Saber Tiger, right in the middle of working on repairs. The Commander's voice rang with authority, and not a quaver escaped when he made his announcement over the loudspeakers.

Among the group entering the command center was Grimsley for the second time that day, who gave Emmet a sarcastic grimace when he noticed him. Emmet only nodded back, and followed inside with the rest of the members filing in. The room had become filled with a mass of bodies—but it wasn't like there were innumerable people called to attention in the first place. Those who presented themselves were a modest number, as they were the brawn of the division—the pilots.

A woman, who stood by firm, gave Emmet and Grimsley a knowing, silent greeting. Her hair fell by the sides of her face in two lengthy bangs with the rest of it contained by a hair band in the shape of a flower, and she wore a pleasant smile on her countenance as was due to her nature. Simply looking at her gave the strong impression that she had vibrant energy. Right now, however, she concealed it for the gravity of the situation.

Colress glanced over everybody to make certain all were accounted for. He smiled in satisfaction before he began to explain his reason for summoning his loyal crew. "I hope I haven't torn you away from anything important, but I have just in this hour received a transmission which requires your awareness." There was a pause, silent and heavy, and the members in the room seemed to have held their breaths. Colress resumed: "I have been in contact with the Imperial Army, concerning an... addition to our ranks."

"They're sending someone over, sir?" Grimsley asked immediately, more or less cutting to the chase for him.

"Yes, Grimsley, exactly right. But I'm much more involved in this than you probably believe."

"Commander?"

Colress nodded, expressing neutrality. "I personally requested one of their, shall we say, spare soldiers some time ago. It just so happened they were able to comply. It also turns out that they desired to give him further experience regarding Zoid piloting. This is doubly beneficial: for us and for the Empire—and needless to say for the individual in question."

"So," Grimsley interjected again, raising a hand as if he were a schoolchild seeking permission to speak, "who is _he_, anyway?"

"I would like to keep his identity anonymous."

"Mysterious," Grimsley observed jokingly, crossing his arms. He avoided pushing any further.

Emmet, on the other hand, decided he would dare to venture onward. "Commander," he spoke with hesitation, "is there anything you could tell us about him? He doesn't have a bad reputation, right?"

"Oh, no, he's extremely devoted to the Empire and goes by the book," Colress answered. "His only trouble is his apparent lack of skill. But we should be able to mend that and give the Empire some help in return by sending him back once his so called 'training' is finished."

A soldier loyal to the Empire. Grimsley was already feeling the reluctance gurgle in his stomach. But he would have to contend; Colress intended to go fully through with the transferral. That was exactly why he never mentioned it before, according to Grimsley's reasoning.

"The transmission," Colress added, "delivered by an Imperial official, confirmed that the transferee was on his way. We should expect him within fifteen hours."

"That doesn't give us a lot of time to prepare," Emmet observed.

Colress, of course, anticipated this response by countering, "I've already completed the preparations on _my_ end. What's left is for the rest of you to... clean up your act, so to speak." He smile gently, yet teasingly. "Simply: accept him with open arms when he arrives, and don't single him out for whatever reason." A glance went to Grimsley, who only replied with a look of innocence.

"I don't want any of you to be uneasy. He's only coming for training, then we'll send him back once I see he's improved. Besides, if the tension between the Republic and Empire escalates, we could use an extra pair of hands."

"Implying he's gotten enough experience to help us," Grimsley added, "and that his military doesn't suddenly want him back during such a critical time."

"We'll leave everything up to chance, Grimsley."

Colress felt nothing else could be said of the matter and thus drew the discussion to a close. His crew all gave their word that they would treat the newcomer as if one of their own. Even Grimsley agreed to it—not like he could argue, anyway. They were dismissed, and went back to their work.

Fifteen hours was less than a day, and by the way the morning sun was shining high in the heavens, it was concluded that they'd expect their visitor no later than midnight. But they would have to suppress sleep until the next day, for anything could delay their man. This also meant that patrols would have to be tightened, and everyone should keep on their toes for the slightest indication of the Imperial soldier.


	3. Starting Over

"I'm ready to go now."

"So soon? But you haven't even been cleared—"

"I'd rather not keep them waiting."

Today was the day of Ingo's move. He was a corporal for the Imperial Army, and soon his existence in the Empire would be but a memory to him — that is, until he had to go back. In a way he was looking forward to leaving. He wasn't liked by other crew members or very well thought of by superiors. Granted, he didn't show them much to be respectful of, but he could have at least been treated like the rest. To him, it seemed as though superior officers were playing favorites and he was not one of them. Despite being in the army for almost a full year, he still felt like a recruit — the one everybody teased.

Hence his impatience to get going, and why his friend stared on at him with hesitation.

"The Lieutenant already communicated with the Guardian Force and gave them an approximation of when you'd get there. He gave us enough time to prepare and-"

"I'm sure we can depart now." The Corporal calmly interrupted his friend and looked at him with unnerving resolve. There was no way he could be swayed. "It's an approximate, after all."

His crewmate, a man of the same age and rank, preferred to follow protocol, but he knew his friend was not having the best time in the army and wanted a better military experience. The Guardian Force was sure to offer that, and more. "Well, yeah, we could make it there a lot earlier if we left now…"

Ingo smiled at him, pleased with his agreement. "Thank you, Flint. You're the only person I can count on."

"Hey, don't mention it!" Flint returned a grin and grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him out of the barracks. The two went on their way to the main base, eager to gain permission from the man in charge of the Corporal's transference to speed up the process.

As it turned out, their request would not be met with resistance; Lieutenant Brock was one of the few Imperial officers that was not terribly strict and got along with the rest, namely Ingo and his friend. In the current political climate, corruption was warping the minds of many soldiers and bureaucrats, making it even harder to trust those who supposedly were on one's side. That's where it differed with Corporal Ingo, Corporal Flint, and Lieutenant Brock, amongst a few others. They, unlike the majority, served their military with pride and the purpose of protecting the Empire, fulfilling their duties, and serving as commendable examples for future recruits. They were an honest bunch with the intent to do good in mind.

The Lieutenant allowed the two young pilots to leave for the Fox Hunt base immediately. There was no hesitation, and, not bothering to say goodbye to the other soldiers, they set off on a lengthy trip. They had been granted use of a Gustav, but not supplies or weapons. Their only protection was the Zoid's armor, widely known to be the sturdiest of most. However, things seemed rather calm as of late, so there was no real cause for fear of an unwarranted attack.

The lone Gustav traveled at a steady pace along a seemingly endless road. This, in fact, was a single road that linked the Empire to the Guardian Force's main headquarters. Coincidentally, the Fox Hunt division's base was located in an area near this same road; all that was needed was to make a small detour.

Having left early, the two pilots would find themselves at their destination before dark. Even though only one of them was actually staying with Fox Hunt, it was usually a good idea for a transferee to be escorted. Besides, Ingo could have used the company. They did not say much to each other, but being alone would have been worse off. Flint was the type of person to make virtually anybody feel better; he was naturally friendly and caring of others, even complete strangers. Perhaps that was why he and the other corporal became friends the very day they met.

The wind picked up late in the afternoon, kicking up dust and sand and slightly disrupting visibility as a result. The sky began to turn orange, and they both could feel the end nearing. Not the end of the day, but the end of their time as colleagues. There was certainly a feeling of apprehension within them, knowing that they'd be left friendless again. But Flint, noticing his friend's quiet uneasiness, assured him that things would go better for him at the Guardian Force. It would not be the same as the Empire in many ways, and perhaps that would be a good thing.

"You'll probably meet a lot of nice people."

"You don't know that…"

Flint grinned at his friend's insecurity. "You don't think you'll get along with anyone? Come on, the Guardian Force is different! Besides, you're a lot friendlier than you think. You're just—"

"Don't say it."

"—shy."

Ingo turned to his companion and frowned, displeased with his conclusion. "I am _not_, I told you that."

Flint laughed, finding a good deal of enjoyment in teasing him. He knew how to push the corporal's buttons and when. Of course, it was all in good fun, and Ingo knew he wasn't being disrespectful on purpose.

The conversation ceased as the two focused on an anomaly. Their eyes fixed on something that was coming into view. In fact, something was headed toward them!

― ―

Just because they were expecting a visitor, they did not have to let their security go slack. In fact, it was more of a reason to stay on high alert in case of any misdeeds that might be performed at such a sensitive time. While they were waiting for the Imperial officer, Fox Hunt sent out multiple patrols throughout the day, just in case. Their best marksman, Grimsley, was typically selected to go out on patrol, and on this very day he could not get a reprieve. Going out on patrol was completely boring to him and he detested it. Still, he had an obligation and he needed to see it through with all of his wits about him.

In the comfort of his air-conditioned Command Wolf, Grimsley was spared of the grilling heat of the late afternoon sun, and the flying dust and sand that would have otherwise gotten into his eyes. Soon, darkness would fall, and he would have to return to the base for the last time.

He ventured further away from the perimeter of the base, possibly making one last general sweep of the environment before heading back. He found himself traveling along an extensive road which was simply known as the Imperial-GF Road, named accordingly as it connected the Empire's capital to the Guardian Force's main headquarters. This same road had an identical half which led from the same headquarters to the Republican capital; it was called the Republican-GF Road. The purpose of this road was to allow officials from either nation to meet at the Guardian Force under amiable terms, especially since the Guardian Force _was_ formed by these two powers.

These roads, more often than not, remained empty and unused for long stretches of time, but on this very day Grimsley sighted an oncoming vessel which piqued his curiosity. He suddenly tensed, unsure of who might be within what started to look like a Gustav as it approached. It was going at a speedy pace, which meant to Grimsley that the pilot was in a hurry. He readied his long-range rifle and pushed on, not attempting to confront the Zoid or move away from it. He was going at a leisurely pace and kept it that way. The two Zoids had gotten quite close before the Gustav suddenly veered off the road and turned to the right, which was where the Fox Hunt base was located. That put Grimsley on high alert and he immediately went after it, thrusting his Zoid into a run.

The Command Wolf sprinted right past the slow Gustav and sharply turned to face it head-on. Getting in its way forced the Gustav to brake abruptly, and it skidded to a stop just a few feet away from the Wolf. But more importantly, far enough from the base.

"All right, whoever you are — halt!" Grimsley commanded over his Zoid's loudspeaker. "Identify yourself and make clear your intentions on entering this area."

"We're Imperial officers. This is Corporal Flint speaking, and I have instructions to escort Corporal Ingo to a Guardian Force base."

"So there are two of you?" Grimsley asked, highly suspicious, yet he honestly didn't find any reason for the Gustav pilot to be lying. "And how do I know you're not armed?"

The man known as Flint was beginning to grow noticeably angry with Grimsley's cross-examination and impatiently responded, "Now why in the world would we take weapons with us if we're meeting with the _Guardian Force_?!"

"I need to make sure you aren't a threat. It just so happens _I'm_ with the Guardian Force, and I have the medallion to prove it. I'd like you to reveal yourselves and the contents of your cockpit."

Silence followed Grimsley's command, and he wondered if they were planning to either get away from him or open fire. He nearly held his breath, trying to keep his cool, but seeing the Gustav's canopy open made him stiffen even more. He feared the worst, but seeing the two men standing up and not noticing any armaments within the cockpit eased the tension away. However, rather than relax completely, Grimsley grew surprised — and even confused — at the sight of one of the Imperial soldiers, who bore almost white hair and odd, angular sideburns, much like a fellow teammate. He remembered that they had given their names, and sure enough he had never heard of them, but he could not help himself when he felt the need to get a bit personal. "Emmet? That can't be you…"

"Emmet?" the officer with the seemingly silver hair repeated for clarification. "You've got that wrong. My name is Ingo. But since you confused me for my brother, you must know him."

Grimsley was left speechless and could not, for the life of him, form any intelligent sentences. But rather than turn the moment into an uneasy one, he decided to go with the informal conversation. "Um… Yeah, I do. He and I both serve in the Guardian Force's Fox Hunt division. Except we usually call it—"

"Did you say Fox Hunt?" Ingo looked at his red-headed friend with widened eyes and back toward the Command Wolf. "My presence has been requested by your commander. I am supposed to report to him as soon as I arrive at your headquarters."

This was inconceivable. Emmet's brother — his _twin_ brother — was the Imperial soldier that Colress had told everyone about? No, surely this was a coincidence… But as much as Grimsley found it astonishing, he believed it. In fact, he thought this was good news. Well, in reality, it _was, _but he was in some state of shock and failed to remember that Ingo was expected."I can take you there."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. We'll get there in no time, plus I have a feeling your brother would be happy to know that I stumbled across you during my patrol," Grimsley answered, and the last bit he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

Ingo was hesitant, unsure of what to say or do. He looked at Flint again for maybe some assurance.

"This is a lucky turn of events, don't you think?" his companion observed. "I say you let him take you. We're nearby as it is. Besides, I'll be able to get back before it gets too late."

Of course, Ingo had forgotten about the time. The sky was darkening, and it would be dangerous to travel at night by Gustav, even though Flint would be getting back into Imperial territory. One could never be too cautious. In the end, Ingo figured it would be best to hop aboard the Command Wolf and let Flint return to the Empire. This would mark the end of their journey together.

"I understand," he said, rather wistfully. "I suppose this is goodbye."

Flint smiled at Ingo and wished him well. He assured him that things would go good for him at the Guardian Force. From what Grimsley could tell, Ingo was not very certain about that, but he kept a smile on his face as well. The two friends said one final farewell before Flint took his seat in the Gustav and closed the canopy. Ingo merely waved a little before dropping his arm to his side and watched the Zoid depart. Now he was on his own, about to take a ride with a person he really didn't know.

"All right, so, I guess you'd better hop in," Grimsley announced, getting his Command Wolf to crouch low so Ingo could climb into the cockpit. Its head nearly touched the desert floor when the green canopy suddenly opened and revealed the Guardian Force pilot. Now both men could get a better look at each other — well, as good a look as they could get, what with the dust and sand blowing around.

The particles didn't seem to bother Ingo very much, but they were annoying Grimsley quite a lot. He growled as he shielded his face as best he could. "Come on, then. We don't have all day."

Ingo refused to get a move on. He stared at Grimsley with a most serious, dry expression, perhaps studying him a bit more. "What about that medallion of yours?"

"What?" Grimsley didn't understand what he wanted with the medallion. Was it proof he sought? Grimsley figured not to argue and just show it to him. He reached around his neck and lifted up a gold chain from under the collar of his uniform. At the very end of it dangled the Guardian Force medallion. It was what let everyone know that he was no laughing matter. "Is this what you want?"

"That's fine," Ingo replied quickly, confident that Grimsley was the real deal and not just a phony. He was familiar with the medallions that Guardian Force members wore, mainly because he had been taught to identify them when he first enlisted with the Imperial Army. He also knew for a fact that anybody who tried to produce fakes would very promptly be dealt with by Guardian Force authorities. The chances of Grimsley owning a reproduction were slim to none.

Ingo said nothing more and approached the cockpit, beholding what little space he'd have. Behind the pilot's seat was an extra, smaller seat, possibly fit for a teenager or a very small adult. Ingo knew he was by no means small, and Grimsley acknowledged that fact with a smart remark. "Good luck fitting back there. Usually I let petite people sit behind me."

"Are you saying I am overweight?"

"No, you're just too tall."

"I'll manage." The Imperial soldier climbed into the cockpit, making sure his legs were in a straightened position and would not in some way cramp up. Then he sat, tucking his arms tightly beside him and forcibly had to hunch over.

"All set? Good." Grimsley didn't wait for a response and went ahead with the closure of the canopy. He was relieved to finally get that dust out of his face, even though now the cockpit was a mess with it. He was sure his new companion was as comfortable as he could be, so he set off.

The Command Wolf ran at a steady pace, kicking up even more dust and sand as it went, but by no means were the passengers affected. It would not take very long for them to get to the base, but in the meantime there seemed to be time for some idle conversation.

"Excuse me, but I don't think I've gotten your name," said Ingo, remembering that the man he was riding with was still nameless to him.

"It's Grimsley. I forgot to introduce myself earlier." Grimsley sounded amused so this would all come off like a simple mistake. "Nice to meet you, um—"

"Ingo."

"Right, right. It's kind of hard to remember your name when you look so much like your brother," Grimsley pointed out, although rather unnecessarily. His comment made the Imperial soldier a little annoyed, yet he said nothing about it.

Rather than pursue the topic, Ingo changed to one that was on his mind. He had been intrigued by the Command Wolf, and dared to inquire about it. "I've noticed that your Command Wolf is an Imperial model. The Empire hardly uses them anymore. How could the Guardian Force have been given one?"

Grimsley thought about that, not entirely coming up with a good answer. "To be honest, I don't really know. I just know that they let me have it after I was assigned to Fox Hunt, and it's been my Zoid ever since. Let's see…" Grimsley paused as he mentally went over his time in the service, finally coming to a conclusion. "That's almost three years now, I think."

It didn't occur to Grimsley that he had been under Colress' command for only nearly three whole years. It's felt like an eternity, just about. He could hardly remember what he did with his life before joining the Guardian Force. He wondered what sort of story Ingo had to tell about himself, but that would be revealed later on, he guessed.

Ingo felt that the conversation was shifting a little, and hearing about Grimsley's start in the Force sparked his natural curiosity, but rather than immerse himself in a history lesson, the Imperial soldier decided to keep to the original subject. "These Command Wolves are mostly used for confusing Republican forces and disrupting their control. I suppose the Empire thought they would get more use if they were given to Guardian Force members such as yourself."

"So you're saying I got one of the leftovers that nobody wanted?"

Ingo got the sense that he had belittled Grimsley's Zoid, and he stuttered as he tried to excuse himself. "Uh, well, it's not that—"

"Hey, it's okay! A Zoid is still a Zoid," Grimsley interjected in good spirits, "and mine has probably seen a lot more action with me than it ever would have back at the Empire."

Ingo was relieved that Grimsley took it the right way, and decided to leave the topic at that. He kept himself quiet, not sure what else should be said.

Their journey did not take very long, but dusk was fast approaching as the Wolf's pilot spotted the base coming into view. He announced their impending arrival to the stranger sitting behind him, smiling confidently to himself.

As they neared their destination, the Command Wolf slowed, eventually stopping very close to the base's hangar's massive doors. No doubt Ingo was highly interested in the place.

"Look," Grimsley explained, "I've got to let you out right here, so the commander can meet you. Plus, I need to get my Zoid into the hangar, and there's no way Colress would let me do that with you in it."

"Colress? Your commander?"

"Oh, uh, yes. I suppose I let that slip out…" Grimsley chuckled in spite of himself, although he figured, in retrospect, revealing a commander's name was not really a problem. He pressed some buttons on his Zoid's console and began to speak through its radio: "Commander, I'm back from my patrol. I know it's taken too long, but I ran into an Imperial soldier who says he's supposed to report to you."

The voice on the other end sounded genuinely surprised. "You mean the soldier we were expecting?"

"I believe so, sir. He's here with me now," Grimsley answered. "I'll have him wait outside for you, Commander."

There was no answer, but there was no need for one. Grimsley had the Zoid crouch low to the ground and opened its canopy, pressuring Ingo to hurry and disembark. The transferee readily climbed out of the cockpit, albeit with a little difficulty, but managing nonetheless. He straightened out his uniform out of habit and gazed up at the structure sitting quietly in front of him. This was where he would spend an indefinite amount of his life, supposedly to better himself for combat when he would return to his military.

The main doors began to open, and rather than be greeted by the presence of the commander, a subordinate had squeezed himself through the still opening doors and darted right at the Corporal. Ingo could hardly grasp the situation at hand when he was instantly embraced, almost thrust back by the impact. He panicked for a mere second until he realized who had attacked him so rudely.

"Emmet!" he gasped, a smile growing on his face. He returned the gesture of affection and gave his brother a less suffocating hug. "I wasn't expecting to find you here."

His identical twin pulled away and beamed like a child who had just been given the greatest gift of all. "I can't believe you're here! I've missed you!"

Ingo nodded, amused by his sibling's excitement but also feeling just as joyous. "It's been too long, but it's good to finally see you again. You haven't changed since I last saw you."

Emmet grew bashful and his grin widened. "Oh, come on, I must have changed a _little_! I can admit that you've done some changing yourself,_" _he pointed out, getting a good look of his brother and soaking in his appearance. He would have continued, but the sharpness of his commanding officer's voice caught his attention and he immediately turned to face him.

Colress, along with Skyla, had emerged from the base and he called to Emmet with a demanding snap. The frown on his face was evidence that he was displeased with Emmet's conduct. Skyla was less interested with formalities and preferred to watch the stranger.

"Oh, sir!" Emmet quickly gave him a salute and stiffened, fully aware that he would be in for another talking-to.

"Emmet, I told you not to act so inappropriately when you meet the man." Colress' gaze softened, but his voice was still stern. He looked at the Imperial soldier briefly before continuing. "Even if he is your family, you should maintain a neutral approach. You should know that a soldier never lets his emotions get the better of him."

Emmet nodded, apologizing and assuring the Commander that he would not make another mistake. Colress smiled lightly and accepted Emmet's apology, turning his attention to the stranger who had so far stayed out of the way. He walked over to him, Skyla right behind.

Ingo had gathered that this man was of importance, and he saluted him out of respect. "Excuse me, sir, but I was told to report to the commander of this unit."

"You're looking at him," Colress informed. "I am Colress, the commander of the Guardian Force's Fox Hunt division. We've been eagerly expecting you, Corporal."

"Sir!" Ingo was a little surprised by the revelation, but he stuck to formalities despite that. "It is a pleasure to be here, Commander. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to serve with the Guardian Force."

Colress stepped aside and gestured at the woman curiously standing in place. "This is Skyla. She will be your new teammate. She's an ace aerial Zoid pilot."

Without waiting for a reply, Skyla stepped forward, almost in Ingo's face, and smiled good-naturedly. "Hi! Nice to finally meet you. I have to say, it's pretty shocking that you look so much like Emmet."

Ingo shrunk back an inch, a little annoyed that she would bring up the very thing he's heard countless times over. "Um, that is what one would expect from us being identical twins."

"I would have never guessed," she replied. "Come to think of it, Emmet never mentioned a brother."

"No?" Ingo looked over at his twin who only gave him an uneasy grin. Maybe he'd explain later. Instead of continuing with the subject, Ingo looked back at Skyla and gave her a nod. "I'm looking forward to working with you, miss— er, I mean, Skyla."

"Hey!" Grimsley's voice boomed suddenly over the loudspeaker in his Zoid, and the four pilots looked up at the Command Wolf that was hovering very close by. "It's great that you're all getting acquainted, but I'd like to get my Zoid into the hangar, if you wouldn't mind."

Colress turned to Emmet, ordering him to allow Grimsley access to the hangar. No Zoid could enter the hangar from the outside, and thus needed permission in order for the massive, heavy doors to open. They could, however, leave whenever the pilot chose to. Quite quickly, the hangar's doors had opened up and Grimsley was finally able to get his Command Wolf out of the dust. The humans outside had also decided to venture inside the base, completely unaware that they had been standing out in the open as exposed as they were. It was at this time that Ingo could get better acquainted with the man who brought him to the base, and that the Fox Hunt pilots could get a better look at him.

Despite the dust and sand on his hair and clothes, Ingo was astoundingly identical in appearance to Emmet. There was very little that could differentiate them. They both had the odd, angular sideburns, the same facial structure and features, the same complexion, the same build, and both were equally the tallest of the bunch — easily over six feet. Ingo's choice of hairstyle varied from his brother's, however, being swept back compared to Emmet's being rather mussed up and all over the place. One other difference of note was Ingo's stare, which was harder and more analytical than Emmet's. The man also had a tendency to stay quiet and keep from smiling too often. Emmet, on the other hand, freely expressed his opinions and usually had something to smile about.

With everyone assembled, Colress went on to call his attention to the Command Wolf pilot who was now in the same room as the rest. "Corporal," Colress said, "I know you have met Grimsley already, but let me formally introduce you. Grimsley is an impressive marksman, originally a soldier for the Republic. He can shoot down nearly any enemy from a great distance."

"A Republican soldier?" Ingo glanced at Grimsley curiously, tilting his head. "You must have been a very good pilot to now be in the Guardian Force."

"Actually," Grimsley replied, "I was more an average pilot. Here's where I developed my skills, especially since my Command Wolf was fitted with the long range rifle when I got it."

Skyla interrupted, raising her hand so that all could see. "Excuse me, but I'm from the Republic too. Except I was in fact an ace pilot almost from the start." She gave Grimsley a snide smirk, but really all for fun.

Ingo was beginning to feel like he should say something about himself, but he knew his background was nowhere near as good as Skyla's or even Grimsley's. He hesitated, wished he didn't have to. His face flushed and he lowered his gaze as a result of the building embarrassment.

"Corporal, I'm sure you would like to hear about your brother's talents as well," Colress pointed out. He did not seem to care that Ingo's demeanor had suddenly changed. "You will have the chance to talk to him in depth, but first I would like to set you up."

The pink on Ingo's face faded away and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir."

Colress dismissed Skyla and Grimsley, who rather reluctantly complied, and asked the twins to follow him. He lead them both to the control room, and showed Ingo how access to the room was gained. He stepped beside a cleared out desk and pointed at a few items that were laid out neatly on top of it. "Your identification and new uniform."

Ingo looked at the items and noticed the same medallion that he had seen on Grimsley. Now Ingo would be wearing one as well. He admired the Guardian Force insignia etched on the surface of the medallion, and nearly felt as if he did not deserve to own a thing of such significance. The next thing he looked at was the folded uniform sitting beside the medallion, and immediately expressed negativity with a look of mild disapproval.

Colress noticed, of course. "Something wrong?" he wondered.

Ingo looked at his new commanding officer and shook his head. "No, sir, not at all. I will have to get used to all of this."

"You will in time, Corporal," answered the Commander, smiling. "Oh, that reminds me: your Imperial Army rank is of no importance here. We will merely use it as a way of addressing you, but you are no longer a 'corporal' as long as you are with us."

"I understand, Commander. But, then, will I have a new rank?" Ingo wondered.

"Well, no. However, if you desire one then I will try to assign one to you." Colress appeared rather confused. He was used to a system where all of his personnel went by their names more often than their titles. Then again, he understood that the Imperial and Republican militaries worked differently and that Ingo was used to an entirely different system. The Corporal would come to learn that the Guardian Force differed greatly from what he was accustomed to.

"It's all right, don't go to the trouble. Sir, there is something else, however," Ingo added, a little hesitant. "I know that this may be irregular for you, but I would… like to request a sidearm."

"What? No, I'm afraid—"

"Commander, please excuse me, but I always had a sidearm with me in the Empire. I know this is not the same situation, but I would feel more secure if I had one here. I promise you I will not use it unless my life were being threatened."

It seemed as though Ingo was very definite with his request, and there would be no way around it. Colress did not give weapons to his soldiers; not even he had one. However, Ingo was a different story. Perhaps he would stay true to his promise and never use it unless, of course, it was absolutely necessary. Colress sighed, then turned to Emmet.

"Emmet, please head to the armory and pick out a handgun for your brother," Colress instructed, sounding somewhat upset.

Emmet gave him a nod and quickly exited, leaving his brother to deal with Colress himself.

"Corporal, I'm only going to allow you ownership of a weapon because you look like I can trust you to not do anything foolish. I'm hoping you won't take advantage of my generosity," the Commander informed, strict in tone. The look on his face was one of complete seriousness, and Ingo felt intimidated by his words. Nevertheless, he agreed and assured Colress that he would not let himself resort to using it.

"If it is at all avoidable, then I will not use it. Thank you, Commander." Ingo bowed his head at the man, trying his best to act humble.

Colress did not reply, nor did he acknowledge. "Ingo, take your things and change into your uniform. I will assign you with one last thing when you are finished and when you receive the weapon I'm sure Emmet has already chosen for you."

Ingo took his items and nodded at Colress, thanking him once more before heading out the doors. He met with Emmet who was on his way back and stared at the gun in his hand, snug in the holster Emmet had also chosen for Ingo.

"Oh, this is—"

"I can see that," the older brother acknowledged, smiling at the bundle Emmet was holding. "The Commander wants me to put this on right away."

Emmet stared, not understanding why Ingo would tell him that. Then it dawned on him. "Oh! You've got a room. All to yourself, but it's not very big." He told Ingo to follow him as he guided him to the section of the base were all of the private rooms were. He scanned the numbers on each door, finally stopping at one. "This is yours. Mine's close."

The numbers read "642." No doubt Ingo had to memorize those. He gave Emmet a small smile before opening the door and taking his first look of the space. Emmet was right, it wasn't big. In fact, it was a little too small for him. So far things had been so-so, but all he needed was time to get accustomed to his new life. He set his things down on his new, small bed and turned to face Emmet.

"You can leave the gun on the desk, thank you."

Emmet hesitated a moment before setting it down where he was told. He looked back at his brother and smiled. "Um, I'm guessing you still have some things to do."

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Ingo answered plainly, a little impatient to get going. "Why don't you wait outside?"

His brother frowned, expressing his reservations. "Ah, Ingo, I just really want to talk to you. You know it's been such a long time."

A sympathetic smile appeared on Ingo's mouth and he agreed wholeheartedly with his sibling. "Yes, I know. We will have plenty of time for that later. Right now I'd like to get through with my preparations."

"Hm, yes, I know." Emmet grinned back, stepping out of the room. "It's fine! I can wait. You hurry up!"

Emmet left him. Ingo sighed and closed the door, quickly changing into his new clothes, but unsatisfied with the new distasteful uniform he had been given. He really didn't like the look of it, but he knew it couldn't be helped. Really, all it was, was a pale blue jumpsuit with no extra styling. Did it even have pockets? Ingo did not have a mirror in his room, but he knew what it would look like on him just by seeing it on Emmet. He was given dark gray fingerless gloves as well, but he did not feel these were necessary at the moment. Finally, he slipped the Guardian Force medallion around his neck, tucking it beneath his uniform. It would not be visible unless he pulled it out, but that was fine. Grimsley did the same thing, as he recalled.

The Imperial uniform he no longer needed was set neatly on his bed. He'd figure out how to store it properly later. Ingo made haste and left his room, keen on meeting with his commander but totally disoriented with his new environment. He left the secluded area he was in and retraced his steps to the best of his memory. It paid off, as he encountered his brother and Colress waiting right outside the control room. Colress' eyes widened only slightly as he observed his new subordinate, surprised at how alike he and Emmet looked, but Ingo caught the small change and warily glared.

Colress was unaffected and smiled, almost tauntingly. "So, I see that you are ready." He gestured at Emmet to follow as he began to walk onward, leading the twins to their next stop. Emmet did not have to be a part of this, but he would not have it any other way. He had a feeling that Ingo could use the company of his brother as well.

As they went, Ingo was noticeably uncomfortable in the new get-up. He tried to ignore the feeling on his body and get himself used to it, but the material his clothes were made out of made the effort much harder. When he laid eyes upon the massive doors that stood in front of him, he forgot all about his little predicament. These he had not seen before, and so were to reveal something new to him.

"Corporal," Colress addressed, turning to face Ingo. "Beyond these doors is our hangar. In other words, I will assign to you a Zoid that I have previously picked out for you."

Ingo nodded silently, waiting as the doors began to open slowly. He realized that he had forgotten about Zoids. Which types did Fox Hunt have? He at least knew that there was a Command Wolf and some kind of flying Zoid in the group, but what else was there?

When the hangar was revealed to him, he drew in a deep breath. The prospect of being given a Zoid, any Zoid, made him uneasy. Although he would have preferred to skip this part altogether, he knew it was unavoidable and piloting a Zoid was completely necessary for his position.

The troupe made its way inside, and Ingo was taken by the immense space and the towering figures overhead. Of course, the size of the room could not be compared to any of the Empire's hangars, and there were undoubtedly several of them. Still, it was a breathtaking sight for the first time. Ingo's eyes wandered over to the familiar red Command Wolf standing idly in its place, then to a Shield Liger to its left. He noticed other Zoids around it, but his attention was taken by the Commander yet again.

"Corporal! This is important, so pay attention!"

Ingo quickly turned to his superior officer and acknowledged. As uneasy as he was, curiosity was also eating away at him. He grew eager to know which Zoid out of all of the ones in the hangar would be his. Fortunately it did not take long to find out. Colress pointed at a Zoid that Ingo had his back to. He whipped around swiftly and gazed up at the shining silver armor, the long fangs, the green optics. He would have reacted in some way, but Emmet went ahead first.

"C-Colress! _That's_ his?!" the younger brother cried, gawking up at the Saber Tiger that was identical to his. "It's exactly like mine. No, it _is _mine!"

"It's not yours, it's only the same model," Colress clarified. "Ingo has his own now."

There was not much arguing to be done. The decision was made, and now the two brothers had matching Zoids, as if to rub in the fact that they matched almost in every way already.

Ingo did not feel badly about Colress' choice. A Saber Tiger was a capable Zoid, and one that he had piloted before in the army. Back then, though, he didn't do it often…

"Commander," he said, "how will we tell the two apart?"

"Ah, that should be apparent in your piloting styles. But," Colress replied, "if it proves to be too confusing, you can make yours stand out from Emmet's. I'll leave that up to you."

Emmet was troubled; he genuinely thought Ingo's Zoid would be a completely different one. This complicated things. Now Emmet felt there would be some sort of competition between the two, more than ever. As the little brother, he didn't want to suddenly be shown up by his older, more able-bodied and able-minded sibling. Hopefully things wouldn't turn out that way. He could do nothing except go along with the situation.

He knew now was not a time to be selfish, but he kept his reservations in the back of his mind. He really did try to appear happy for Ingo and even assured him that he would be able to pilot well.

Colress concluded by telling them he'd have a mission ready for Ingo in the morning. It was an exciting prospect, but Ingo felt that was very sudden considering he had just arrived and didn't have enough time to get the hang of things. Nevertheless, he thanked Colress for everything and wished him good night as the commanding officer left the two.

"See you in the morning," was all Emmet had said to his brother before he, too, left, and soon after Ingo followed. There was a lot he had to swallow, but he was as ready as he could have been, and a part of him was impatient to begin training.


	4. Digging Deep

Emmet's brother had kept to himself ever since he arrived from the Imperial Army. No one really bugged him, but the soldiers were naturally curious about him, especially Skyla and Grimsley who often asked him a subtle personal question here and there. So far, the brothers had not had the chance to talk about what's happened to them over the two years that passed, but that time would come. They already had a task on their hands, and Emmet wanted to impress both his superior officer and older brother by completing it astoundingly.

Colress sent them out first thing in the morning. He wanted Ingo to get a feel for his new Zoid and role as quickly as possible, and he thought it best for Emmet to accompany him. What they had to do was simple: investigate a nearby ruin for a rare substance that had been discovered there. It turns out Colress had heard from other researchers that Zoid Magnite had been found in ruins that once were part of Imperial territory. They lay outside the nation's boundaries now, so anyone could enter for exploration. What he wanted with this element was a mystery, since he didn't appear to have any use for it beyond studying it. Still, it was a chance for Ingo and Emmet to be together and maybe catch up a little.

The early afternoon sun was bright, but the Zoids' specially coated canopies reduced the amount of glare that came in, so the pilots would not have to worry about becoming blinded. The pair walked along side by side, Emmet keeping an eye on his brother to see how he was doing. They departed not long ago, and their progress was steady, but they still did not have the ruins in their sights.

As was his style, Ingo kept himself silent as he focused on piloting. His Saber Tiger, so far not giving him any trouble, felt like the previous Tiger he had piloted in the Empire. The controls were all the same as well. He also refrained from modifying it in any way, so it still looked exactly like Emmet's.

"It was exciting to watch you climb into the cockpit," Emmet had pointed out. The incessant quiet annoyed him and he really wanted to have a conversation with his less talkative brother.

"Mm, I suppose. It didn't feel at all special, if I'm honest."

"Maybe it was exciting for _me_," Emmet replied, "since I've never seen you in a Zoid before."

"I could say the same about you." There was the slightest hint of friendly sarcasm in that sentence. Ingo couldn't help but act like a smart aleck toward his brother once in a while. It felt strange, then, to be able to speak without watching his tongue. He was so used to making sure his conduct was appropriate while in the military that he nearly forgot what it was like to say something without thinking about it first. Being around his brother made Ingo feel truly free, to truly be himself.

"Yeah, right!" Emmet laughed, not at all bothered by Ingo's witty observation. "But, come on, you have to have noticed _something_ about that Saber Tiger."

Ingo couldn't understand what Emmet was trying to get at. To him, a Zoid was a Zoid the same way the handgun he carried was only a handgun. What exactly was unique about it? "Why are you insisting on this? I already told you, Emmet. The Zoid feels fine to me."

"No, no, I mean can't you tell it apart from your first Saber Tiger at all?"

No response came from Ingo, only silence that was shared between the two. Emmet was rather surprised that his twin could not find anything distinctive about the Zoid he was piloting, unlike Emmet who could sense differences easily. Perhaps, with Ingo, he just needed more time before he could feel anything. It's true that he only had a few hours with his Zoid, so he could not make a fair assessment.

Not hearing a thing from Ingo, Emmet began to explain. "It's just that I could feel like my Zoid had a personality all its own right when I got into the cockpit. I guess you need more time before you can feel anything from yours."

"Emmet, I've never felt anything like that with any Zoid I've piloted," Ingo said, very matter-of-factly.

_That_ came as a shock to Emmet more than anything else. He gaped and stared at the Saber Tiger beside him as if he was staring right at Ingo. It was so hard for him to believe what he had just heard— no, he _couldn't_ believe it, and he refused to.

"Um, why haven't you?" he wondered, sounding uneasy as he wasn't sure what he'd hear next.

Ingo was puzzled, and it was apparent in his speech when he asked in return, "Why should I? Actually, why do _you_ feel like your Zoid is… a living individual?"

"Maybe because it is one?" Emmet answered, the words he spoke being the obvious truth to him. That's where both brothers differed. While one believed in the sentience of Zoids, the other did not. Emmet really had no idea that his brother thought in such a way, and he found it hard to swallow. A part of him wanted to convince him otherwise, and another felt that leaving his brother with his own opinions was the right thing to do.

Emmet decided it best to lead the conversation to a peaceful end and did so without another word coming out of either of them. The afternoon and their trek drew on, fruitless, until a dark mass slowly crept into their field of vision far in the distance.

"Hey, do you see what I see?" the younger of the two asked for confirmation. His older sibling merely grunted in response, but it was the confirmation he wanted. "It looks like Colress wasn't kidding."

"The Commander, you mean?"

"Yeah, of course the Commander. What's with you?"

"I'm sorry, I must've forgotten. I'm not used to using first names, after all." Ingo was apologetic in tone and hoped he wouldn't slip up like that in the future. He was so sure he had remembered everyone else's names, too.

The pair informed Colress of their progress and was instructed to proceed into the ruins carefully. As a scientist, he wished to leave what remained of the structure intact for any possible study he, or other scientific groups, might want to conduct in the future.

The ruins sprawled out wide, scattered and broken. This was a much larger structure than Ingo and Emmet had imagined. Some of it ran beneath the surface, but most of it was above ground, eroded. It looked as though this was once a dwelling for an important family, or some sort of government building; some parts of the ruin were still standing and Emmet could note some pillars and columns still keeping their walls and ceilings up after so many years. There looked like there had once been an enormous chamber in the center of the ruins and it led deeper inside. The Zoid Magnite could possibly be within the crumbling room.

Emmet figured that he could fit his Zoid in it, and he boldly tried much to Ingo's discouragement. Oddly enough, there was enough space for the Saber Tiger, and according to Emmet's discovery there was much more room once he cleared a passage.

"Enough for mine as well?" Ingo asked reluctantly, already knowing the answer.

"Yup. Definitely. This room must have been made for Zoids, no doubt about it."

The confidence that flowed from Emmet's words over the radio made Ingo feel as though his brother was too cocky for his own good, but he could not think that Emmet was somehow mistaken and giving inaccurate information. Cautiously, Ingo's Saber Tiger followed Emmet's trail into the ruin. The light that poured in from the broken roof dimmed increasingly with each step he took, until he was completely enclosed from all sides except his back and front. There was no turning space, so if he encountered a problem he'd need to back his Zoid up rather than turn and run. He kept Colress' instructions in mind and knew the ruins had to be left virtually untouched.

At the end of the passageway, he was met by his brother who was patiently waiting for him. Ingo took a good look around the room and agreed with Emmet that it must have been used to house Zoids in the past. The sheer size of the room was mind-boggling, and the fact that it was in decent condition for being considered a ruin was also surprising.

The twins made their way deeper into the structure, careful to not brush against or step on anything. It was then that Emmet remembered his short conversation with Ingo and felt the urge to continue with it, but as luck would have it, his brother interrupted his thoughts.

"I know this might sound odd," he said, "but doesn't it feel like someone has been here?"

"Huh? Well, probably," Emmet answered, somewhat distracted.

"Recently, I mean. I even see some tracks in the dirt."

Emmet peered ahead, narrowing his eyes but not noticing anything of the sort. Even the magnification screen aboard his Zoid could not help. "I see nothing."

"I certainly do, and perhaps whoever came here was in search of Zoid Magnite, as we are," Ingo added, absolutely convinced. In order to be an Imperial soldier, he needed to learn to identify the many different tracks left by Zoids, especially those used by the Republican military. Needless to say this knowledge came in handy, and he was putting it to use in this very situation.

"Also, I can safely say that these are likely to belong to a Rev Raptor, or maybe a Gun Sniper, but the probability of the latter wandering so close to Imperial territory is low."

"You sound a lot like Colress," teased Emmet, not apparently taking the whole thing seriously, but he was aware of his brother's powers of observation and thought it was best to proceed with caution. "Okay, I'll take your word for it. So you think there might not be any more Zoid Magnite?"

Ingo wasn't sure of the answer, but he suggested to keep that possibility in mind. No need to get their hopes up, after all. Rather than continuing to wonder, they started off again, further into the ruin to find out whether or not they could complete their mission successfully.

The large room stretched out very far, and seemed to sink steadily as they went on. The desert had consumed much of what was visible of the ruins, but there was no telling what lay beneath the sand. The darkness deepened, and the two pilots had to tread more carefully than before. The light that beamed out from their Zoids' optics illuminated a bit of the path ahead, but everything outside of that beam was dark — unknown and potentially dangerous.

The quiet that surrounded them was equally unnerving; not even the sound of the desert winds reached their ears. The only sounds they _could_ hear, but were by now too used to them to notice, were the heavy, dull steps their Zoids took.

"Ingo, it's getting darker and harder to move around in here," Emmet pointed out. "I think we'll have to go on foot the rest of the way."

The older sibling agreed. "You might be right. I wouldn't know how far we should go on our own, however."

A pause in the shared dialogue meant that Emmet was thinking the same thing, not knowing what to say to his brother. He wasn't sure either, especially since he had never set foot in these ruins in his life. It was very clear to them both, though, that they could not go much farther on account of the darkness of their environment. The flashlights they carried would not do them very good in the pitch black.

"We should tell Colress abo—" Emmet was interrupted mid-sentence by a chilling cry. He was unsure if it really came from within the ruin, but Ingo confirmed he had heard it as well, asking what in the world that could have been.

Instinctively, Emmet and Ingo readied their weapons for whatever might come their way. Ingo was right, they were not alone. But whatever had made that sound must have been in some sort of distress.

"Let's check it out!" Emmet announced as he moved ahead, half cautious and half urgent. Before him a flash caught his eye, and the moment he shifted his gaze to observe it, a projectile impacted the dirt only feet away from him. His Zoid lurched back and it was then that he saw a Rev Raptor fast approaching, its blades out, ready for combat.

"Emmet!" Ingo called. "There's a person down there!" He shone the Zoid's optic lights right on the sighted individual, and he could see them much clearer.

From what he could gather, it was a girl, and she appeared to be terrified. She stood scared between the Saber Tigers and the Rev Raptor, and Ingo could only guess that she was running away from the attacker. The Rev Raptor took aim at her, and it was then that Ingo's instincts took over. He leaped forward and had the Saber Tiger crouch over her to shield her from the incoming shot, but as the Rev Raptor fired, it was taken down by Emmet. A lucky break, although the Raptor's round grazed Ingo's Zoid lightly.

"Ingo, are you okay?!" Emmet's voice was riddled with concern even though he knew his brother had not taken serious damage.

"I'm fine," the other responded quickly before opening the canopy and rushing out of his Zoid. Thanks to the optic lights produced by Emmet's Saber Tiger, Ingo could get a better look at the stranger and evaluate her condition. She didn't appear to have any sort of injuries but was visibly very scared. "We're going to help you. Are you all right?"

"There's no time! They're after me!" she frantically said, getting up and already taking cover behind the Saber Tiger's leg. She was too anxious to get a hold of, but alerted Ingo of the danger that emerged from the shadows with a yelp, and right when Emmet caught sight of it as well.

A pair of Rev Raptors came in running, but Emmet swiftly shot them down before they could unleash their own firepower. His radar had detected others nearby, converging on their location.

"We've got company!" Emmet announced, urging Ingo to hurry so they could leave before worse came to worst.

The older sibling took the stranger's arm and lead her to his Saber Tiger's cockpit. "Come on, get in."

"What?!" She glanced at the lack of space, then back at Ingo, shaking her head. "You're kidding! There's only one seat!"

"That doesn't matter!" Ingo barked back, insisting that she follow him. He grabbed her hand firmly as he began to climb into the cockpit, helping her scale the Zoid's face despite her reluctance. He took his seat and pleaded with her to hurry, but she was confused and uncooperative.

"You want me to sit on you?! But you won't be able to see where you're going! I can't—"

A projectile raced right at them and impacted the Saber Tiger's shoulder, nearly sending the girl off the Zoid. Ingo managed to grab a hold of her before she fell, and without further argument he forcibly stuffed her into the cockpit with him and shut the canopy. Emmet opened fire on the attackers that came forth, having a harder time neutralizing them as they came in larger numbers.

"Emmet, I'm ready," Ingo said as coolly as he could. "Cease fire and retreat!"

"You go on ahead, I'll cover you!"

Emmet had been doing a good job of keeping the Rev Raptors busy while Ingo used that opportunity to escape, but more and more Rev Raptors poured in and Emmet could no longer use up what remained of his ammunition. Furthermore, the ruin was a terrible place for physical combat. Ingo headed out through the compressing passage with Emmet not far behind. He could not get a good look of what was in front of him since the girl was blocking much of the view, even as hunched over and contorted as she was.

The Saber Tigers cleared the passage and continued on far beyond the ruins. The harsh sunlight did not bother them at all; they were focused on getting as far away from the ruins as possible. It then dawned on Emmet that they were not being pursued. He stopped and looked back, seeing nothing but desert. It was odd. He was sure they would give chase.

"Ingo, I think they've stayed behind."

"Why wouldn't they come after us?"

Emmet shrugged. "They could've been sleepers. They usually stay in the area they're supposed to protect. We're well out of their territory now."

Ingo wasn't convinced of that. In fact, he believed that the Zoids were piloted by humans, and their reason for being at the ruins quite possibly could have been a bad one. After all, they tried to chase someone out and even attempted to _kill_ her. Ingo had slowed only a little, focused on getting the girl to safety and not wanting to give trouble a chance to catch up to them. Emmet was further behind them, apparently now matching Ingo's speed and keeping his distance.

"I really have to thank you for saving me back there…" the girl sighed, a little uneasy, but genuinely thankful. "If you hadn't come along when you did, I would've been done for!"

"You didn't expect us to leave you there, did you?" Ingo asked her, but both knew the answer to that question.

"At first I thought you had shown up to surround me… I guess I was wrong." She smiled, in part out of amusement at her own foolish thinking. Although she could not turn to face him, Ingo could sense she was smiling by the happiness in her voice.

"By the way, who are you two?" she asked suddenly, realizing she had no clue who her saviors were. "I'm Iris."

"My name is Ingo—"

"And I'm Emmet!" the younger brother blurted over the radio. "It's nice to meet you, Iris," he added cheerily.

Emmet's lack of respect was irritating, to say the least, but Ingo minded it not and decided to leave him be. In any other situation, he might've reprimanded his sibling for not waiting his turn to speak. "He's my brother," he said rather calmly. "We're both in the Guardian Force."

Iris grew astounded to hear that, knowing full-well that the Guardian Force was usually preoccupied handling more pressing situations. It was a brilliant stroke of luck, and she didn't second-guess it.

"Actually, I'm only temporarily with them," Ingo clarified before he got ahead of himself. "In reality I belong to the Imperial Army, but for the time being I'll have nothing to do with it until I return."

"They let you go just like that?" Iris wondered, not familiar with military operations. She wasn't too interested in what he was saying, and she then remembered that they were on a course to _somewhere_. "Where are we going anyway?"

"We're headed back to base," answered Emmet, intentionally interrupting his talkative brother. "You can tell us what you were doing in those ruins once we get there, and our commander can— hey, wait… The Commander!"

"We ought to let him know about this small development," Ingo suggested, not as worked up about it as Emmet was.

"Y-yeah, we should. I'll take care of it."

The small group made good progress as it returned to base, with the Rev Raptors nowhere to be seen, or any other Zoids for that matter. Emmet had delivered the news to his commanding officer, who understood their situation even though he sounded disappointed over the radio. He agreed to let Iris come to their base while they figured out how to get her home. In only a few short hours, the building was in sight and Iris was relieved to finally see some civilization.

The Saber Tigers were allowed entry into the hangar, and as soon as the canopy on Ingo's Tiger opened up, the ached girl leaped out and scurried down the face of the Zoid. She didn't even take a moment to observe her surroundings; the first thing she did was stretch her compressed muscles out, and she gave a great sigh as relief washed over her. Only then did she start to look around, impressed by the number of Zoids her vision was met with. "Wow, there are a lot of Zoids here!"

"Iris!" Emmet called to her as he stepped by her. "We better get you to the Commander. He'll want to meet you. Besides, I'm sure if anyone knows how to get you back home, it's him."

They left the hangar, with Ingo bringing up the rear, and ventured into the lobby of the main building where Colress and the other two pilots of the division were waiting.

"Colress, this is the girl we found," Emmet explained, motioning to her. "Her name is Iris."

"Hi," she greeted, although a little uneasy with facing a _commander_. She did her best to stay calm and be as friendly as she could.

"Well," he observed, "it looks like you've had a bit of excitement. Are you well?"

She nodded, very sure of herself. "I'm just fine, thank you. And speaking of thanks, I _really_ have to thank your officers for rescuing me back there!" She turned to face them and bowed her head out of respect. "I know I thanked you before but I can't thank you enough! You're my heroes!"

"Come on, we couldn't leave you there," Emmet said bashfully. His cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink at her flattering words. "Besides, as members of the Guardian Force, it's our duty to lend a hand to those who need it."

"And you were so brave!" Iris was gushing, playing back the event and beginning to admire the twins so much more.

"Um, Iris," Colress coughed, feeling like the odd man out, "I'd like you to tell me everything. Also, I really do recommend you see our physician just so he can assure that you're in good health."

"But I really do feel fine," she insisted, facing him once again. Apparently the commander wasn't as intimidating as she had first thought. In fact, he appeared to be very nice, and genuinely concerned for her well-being.

"Very well. By the way, I'd like you to meet our two other officers." Colress first gestured at the woman beside him: "This is Skyla, and this—" he then gestured at the man to his other side "—is Grimsley. Along with myself, and Ingo and Emmet, we form the Fox Hunt division of the Guardian Force."

Iris smiled at the other two adults and happily replied, "It's really great to meet you!"

Skyla nodded and was the first to speak up. "Same here. I promise that, even though we're all adults, we're not going to bore you. Especially Grimsley. He's the childish one."

"Speak for yourself," he retorted casually, smiling reassuringly at Iris. "In any case, she's right about us. Don't feel out of place because you're the only kid here."

Iris felt very comfortable, and as if she were in the company of friends. They acted very honestly and said very genuine things. They all seemed extraordinarily nice, which is something she'd never expect from a military institution. Usually she could sense dishonesty right away but there was none of that as far as these five people were concerned.

"That's so nice of you all!" Iris chirped, bowing her head out of appreciation and respect. "You really don't have to do this for me, but thank you so much!"

"Now," said Colress, "I can't guarantee that you'll be entertained, but we'll all do our best to keep you company while you're here. And while I'm on the subject, you should tell us everything you can so we'll be able help you in the best way possible."

"Oh, right." Iris had almost forgotten what she'd been through, but the event was still fresh in her memory and she replayed it for the Commander as best as she could remember. "Well, about a day ago I was with a friend and we were out in the desert in pretty rough weather. I remember he told me that we should stay at our campsite and let the winds die out before we went off exploring, which is what we wanted to do that day. But I didn't listen to him and wandered off right into a sandstorm when he wasn't with me… It's my fault that I ended up hiding in some ruins and then got chased by those Rev Raptors." She paused for a quick break, guilt-ridden and feeling awfully brainless.

"And this friend of yours hasn't come looking for you?" Emmet asked.

"I'm sure he is right now! I just wandered too far and he probably hasn't looked in the ruins yet… He's probably worried sick and it's all because I was too stubborn to listen to him."

"Hey, I'm sure you'll see him again," Emmet commented as he rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Leave it to us to get you two back together."

"It would help if you described him for us," Colress added.

Of course. She should have thought of that earlier. The girl nodded and eagerly started to list as many characteristics as she could. "He's got short, dark hair and his eyes are gray; he likes to wear a blue jacket and a red cap on his head. He pilots a Command Wolf — a blue one, and his name is Lucas."

Grimsley apparently wanted the responsibility of locating this boy himself since he was in charge of patrols. He told Iris that he'd definitely find him before anyone else did, and even though that was exaggeration, she took his word for it and thanked him for doing the extra work. Of course, everyone on the division would chip in to find her friend.

It suddenly dawned on the girl that she had gone nearly a day without eating, and only now she was feeling it. This came to everybody's attention when her stomach made a most peculiar sound. It was embarrassing for her, but she realized that what she needed at the moment was food and probably a bed to rest on.

"I had a pack of supplies with me and some food while I was hiding in the ruins," she explained, "but when I was being chased I dropped it since I started to panic…"

The Commander pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose and coyly asked her, "You didn't, by any chance, happen to have Zoid Magnite among your things?"

"Zoid Magnite?" Iris tilted her head, confused. "What's that?"

"Never mind him," Skyla said, waving off the Commander. "He whines when he doesn't get what he wants."

"It _is_ odd, though, that the Rev Raptors we encountered didn't follow us after we left the ruins," Ingo added, only now speaking up as the topic seemed to switch to one more suspicious. "I don't believe they were sleepers, either. My guess is that they were looking for the exact same thing we were."

"That could be true, Corporal," replied Colress, even though it was still unclear to him why anyone would secretly comb the desert for such an element. "But you're only speculating, and we don't really know if the Empire had left sleepers in that area and then merely forgot about them."

Iris wanted to know what exactly they were trying to get at, and what Zoid Magnite was. From the sounds of it, it was important, and Ingo and Emmet had gone to the ruins originally to look for it. "If it helps, I remember I was about to walk into this really big chamber that didn't look like it was in very bad shape," she informed, "and as soon as I set foot there I heard a screech and before I could make it out, this Rev Raptor rushed at me from inside the room and I started to run from there."

"That was just today, right?" Colress wondered.

"Yeah. I mean, I had been in the ruin for a while with nothing happening but as soon as I went in there it's like I set something off."

"It sounds a lot like a sleeper trap to me, sir," Grimsley remarked, sounding serious right when he needed to be.

"If it was, they were set to protect that room, or something in it." Although Colress did not have all the pieces of the puzzle, things were slowly beginning to become clear. "It's very likely that the Zoid Magnite we were looking for must still be in that room."

"Or something much more valuable," Emmet concluded.

"Precisely."

Ingo wasn't so sure of this and wanted to defend his view of the situation. "Sleeper Zoids attack all at once. Isn't it the least bit curious that only one went after Iris, and then another, followed by more in increasing numbers?"

"It's hard to determine whether or not they were piloted by humans," Emmet added, "although… Ingo did mention that he noticed tracks recently left by a Rev Raptor as we entered the ruin. The sleeper trap couldn't have been set off repeatedly over the course of a week or so. What are the odds of someone entering the exact same structure only to activate the trap and be sent packing? It's possible someone has orders to investigate those ruins and not let anybody interfere."

"If that's the case then it's very suspicious. It almost sounds unethical, since they'd feel they have to chase off anybody who would, effectively, 'get in the way,'" Colress concluded. "That seems highly unlikely, however; those ruins have been explored by other groups in the past and they have not found anything worth all of that safeguarding. I highly doubt Zoid Magnite would be that valuable to anyone else other than the scientific community, if Zoid Magnite _is_ what they're after, anyway."

"So if those Zoids were sleepers, they were just put there not long ago for no apparent reason?"

"And why would the Empire set a sleeper trap in an area that no longer belongs to them? They have no authority."

Both were very good points made by the twins, but Colress couldn't continue debating the issue as he had other, more pressing things to deal with. There wasn't much he could do about it, anyway, seeing as how it appeared to be a problem concerning the Empire. Colress would alert the proper officials about the incident and request a solution that would allow for future exploration of the ruins. Despite everything, he still desired a sample of Zoid Magnite, and he was sure he'd find it there.

Colress moved away from the subject and focused on the division's young visitor, who he had forgotten for a slight moment was quite hungry. The first thing he did was escort her, along with his four soldiers, to the mess hall where she could fill her empty tank. Luckily for the newcomer, the room was empty, as lunch had been had earlier, so Iris could eat peacefully.

Before the commander could get to explaining things to Iris, a communications operator of the division's approached him and notified him of an urgent message from the Guardian Force's highest ranking officers. They apparently wished to speak to Colress right away, and they did not give any of the details to the operator. Clearly he was not expecting that, but he excused himself and made haste as he breezed into the command center to speak to the surely waiting officials.

The rest of the adults were naturally intrigued, but they stayed with Iris as not to isolate her in her new environment. They speculated about what needed Colress' immediate attention, but the four of them mutually agreed that it could not be anything good. After all, good things never required an instant reaction.

Iris ignored her hunger, not wanting to put herself before the responsibilities of the crew. Plus, she was as curious as the soldiers that surrounded her, and so waited patiently yet eagerly to hear what Colress might come back with. The conversation didn't seem to take so long, as he soon returned within a few minutes with a calm air about him. He explained to everyone that the news he received was nothing to be anxious about.

"Admiral Clair spoke with me personally," he informed. "It seems the Emperor has suddenly passed, and his grandson is on his way here as we speak to be escorted to the Imperial capital city."

"Really?!" Emmet's response showed no signs of sympathy for the death of the Emperor, but he wasn't very surprised by that fact. It was obvious that the monarch was getting on in years and was recently diagnosed with an illness. The chance to meet his grandson, the crown prince, was much more exciting to Emmet.

The Commander shot him a glare, which was enough to correct Emmet's behavior. "Yes. Really. His coronation will take place some days from now, so the sooner we get him to the capital the better off we'll all be."

"You can count on us to get the job done, sir," Skyla assured so confidently.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that…" Colress was hesitant to elaborate, but with his soldiers patiently awaiting his explanation, he rushed his next string of words right out. "I've already decided that I want Emmet and his brother to take care of this."

The young woman was troubled with his reasoning and, impatiently, retorted, "But, Commander, didn't they _just_ get back from a mission you already assigned them?!"

"That's true," he answered, "but that was more of an errand. Besides, I believe this would be the perfect opportunity for our new recruit to demonstrate how he would handle such a situation."

"And Emmet?"

"It's best if he helps his own brother, at least at first. I'm positive that Emmet knows how to deal with him better than the rest of us."

There was no sense in arguing; Colress had made up his mind, and his decisions were seldom changed. Skyla accepted the answer, as if she had a choice. Grimsley offered her a comforting pat on the shoulder, as if to say he too was disappointed.

Ingo was very gracious for being given a task of such importance. Even though he had doubts about his ability as a pilot, he knew he would do everything in his power to get the job done smoothly. He could only hope that nothing would go wrong. As eager as he was to prove his worth, however, he was noticeably bothered by the developments. Having come from the Empire, he was more aware of the Emperor's condition than anyone from the other territories. From what he knew, the Emperor was not ill enough to die, nor was he so very old. The news didn't sit well with Ingo at all and he dared to voice his concern.

Before the subject was put aside, Ingo bravely spoke up: "Commander, if I may speak freely, I have to admit that I'm bothered by the news of the Emperor's death. Not personally, but rather I feel it begs analysis."

"What are you implying, Corporal?"

"I'm not sure, exactly. I might not be trying to imply anything at all. But I do know that he wasn't given a serious diagnosis, and he certainly wasn't on his last legs."

"These things happen," Colress replied coolly. "People all over the world die for no apparent reason. It's a fact of life and we all have to accept it. Don't be troubled by it, Corporal. The Emperor is at rest now. Think of it that way." He smiled to offer encouragement, guessing that Ingo was thinking so dubiously only because he was stunned by the report.

There was nothing more to be discussed, and Colress would be sure to go over the details of the assignment with the twins later on. It was time to forget about duty and focus on the immediate issue, and that was the girl standing among the adults, who was so far listening quietly to their deliberations. Colress promised that she would be fed, and he wasted no time getting right to it. Suddenly he, Skyla, and Grimsley lavished attention on her as they whisked her away to silence her groaning stomach.

Ingo and Emmet would have tagged along, but the eldest of the two stayed behind, deeply pensive and requesting Emmet to stay right where he was. It was obvious that, even though Colress tried to make it all sound completely natural, there was something about the death of the Emperor that did not feel right in Ingo's heart. He knew that he could confide in only Emmet about his feelings, but that would in no way erase the doubts he had.

"Emmet, do you believe what's happened is justifiable?"

The younger twin thought for a moment, but shortly after nodded and replied, "I don't see why it shouldn't be. The Emperor was at the age when that sort of thing is more likely to happen."

"Maybe…" Ingo brightened somewhat, but was still not convinced. There was no point in him worrying about something that was out of his hands, and he knew it was best to forget and move on. "Perhaps Colress is right. I'm putting too much thought into this."

"You're just overreacting. You'll get over it once we help the prince get to Guygalos." As frank as Emmet was, Ingo believed he spoke the truth. He and the rest of the world would indeed feel much more relieved once the next ruler of the Empire was inducted.

The siblings exchanged content smiles with one another, both seemingly at the same level of comfort with the situation. They gave the subject not a single thought more and went off side by side to join Iris, who was no doubt having a feast. In less than a week the entire division would have to be on its best behavior as it welcomed the arrival of the crown prince of the Empire.


	5. Phantoms of the Past

The panicked words that were thrown in every direction, accompanied by the sounds of screaming and crying, struck him with confusion. The people around him were frenzied, running for their lives. He knew he should have been as scared as everyone else, but he didn't understand the reason for their outbursts. The commotion was what made him afraid — things were moving too fast for him to process the facts. Adults were yelling at him, giving him orders that he could not understand. Their speech was almost foreign to him, like a language he had never heard before. He wanted to know what was happening, and he sifted through the stampede of people, but he was constantly shoved. It was like swimming against a raging current. Everyone was larger than him, and they tossed him around with no effort, not minding at all that he was there. He wanted to speak, possibly to shout at someone for help, but the noise around him grew to an almost deafening level. Something was keeping him from uttering a word, not even letting him make a small, simple sound. He was beginning to feel suffocated, and panic started to set in. His eyes grew wider, his breathing quickened, his heart pounded furiously in his small chest. A loud blast echoed nearby, and even though it was a sound he hadn't heard in his life, he felt it was something to fear.

The panic around him rose to a new height. Whatever was going on, he didn't want to deal with. He craved the comfort and safety of his home, his family, but they were nowhere in sight. He saw people climbing by the dozens into jeeps and driving off as fast as they could. He wondered if he would be left behind.

He wished for guidance, not knowing what to do. But a man approached him, not appearing as frantic as the rest, and picked him up. He was set down in a jeep like those that had gone, among other people and a little boy who resembled him. A woman ran up to them, her face a blur but everything about her was recognizable. It was the same with the man. They stood before him and said things he could understand, but he didn't grasp their meaning. "Don't worry," "You'll be safe," "We're coming too," were some of what he could make out. The voices with which they spoke were sad, struggling to sound calm and reassuring. He felt like he knew these people and he was supposed to love them, but his mind was raging with confusion and distress. He couldn't say anything to them; he couldn't even think clearly. All he knew was that he didn't want to hear those words. It made him feel worse, like the world was ending and he was the very last one to know about it.

Suddenly the pair left him, retreating into what looked like a disheveled little house. He stretched his arms out from where he was sitting, reaching out for those people who were the only ones to show him any sympathy during the chaos. His vision distorted itself with tears filling up his in eyes. He wanted them back. Why had they gone away? The boy beside him had mimicked his behavior, but he was crying out. His speech was incomprehensible, like that of the other people's.

More booms rang around, closer and in greater numbers. The jeep was already in motion, taking off after the others that had preceded it. Clouds of dust and sand burst very near them, but in the growing distance he could see those two emerge again, and a car like the one he was in was filling up with the people that remained. Further away, he caught sight of a giant monster, the kind of thing he could only dream of. But it was mechanical, and it moved slowly toward the houses that were left behind. There were smaller creatures around it, but he was not focused on them. The behemoth lowered itself, staggering under the weight of an equally monstrous cannon it carried. Before he realized that the townspeople were running away, it fired. Within seconds there was an explosion, a mass of flames and smoke before his very eyes. What he could once see — the houses, the jeep, that man and woman — had vanished faster than the blink of an eye. The cries from the town had fallen silent. His ears picked up only the distant roar of fire and the fading blasts that had not ceased. He could see the flash of gunfire from afar, but all else in his vision froze.

His transport had survived; he was still alive. The things he saw, the things he heard, and the fear that nearly drowned him were very clear to him. His mind and his heart would not let these things go, and they played it all back continuously, as if to convince him that what had taken place over the last few minutes was _real_. It was too real.

He didn't know what was happening anymore. He was confused just as before, almost numb, but he could feel liquid pouring down his face. His own tears were leaving him, like everything else that he knew, and the people that seemed to care.

The explosion went off a thousand times, it seemed, before finally he let out a sharp, agonized wail. He so badly wanted it to end, and when he opened his eyes, the scene had vanished. His environment had changed drastically until he realized he had woken up in a cold sweat. He was propped up in his bed, breathing anxiously, and took a good look around him. It was dark, and he was alone in his room.

Everything appeared to be fine. He slowly collected himself as he brought his hands up to his face, noticing that his eyes were moist. _I was crying in my sleep_. He hoped he hadn't woken anyone if he happened to make any noise. Emmet was confused and concerned by this. He stopped having nightmares many a year ago. Why would they suddenly start again, and before the arrival of the crown prince? Could it be that he feared going back to the Empire, seeing his home country again and remembering his life before he left it? That was absurd. He _wanted_ to go to the Empire, he wasn't dreading it.

He was left disturbed by the images that interrupted his once-peaceful sleep, and trying to forget about them now would be pointless. He wiped the drying sweat from his forehead and face and slowly climbed out of bed. There was one thing he thought of that he could do to calm his nerves, and he didn't hesitate to get right to it.

Although he felt sticky and still moist, he didn't bother washing up. He would have to do it in the morning anyway, and he was sure nobody else would notice. He didn't have to put anything else on in order to leave his room; all officers of the Guardian Force wore appropriate clothing for sleeping, so they could be seen as is when an emergency arose.

Emmet quietly stepped out of his room and was met by the dimly lit hallway. But there he saw Iris, in her pajamas standing awkwardly and jerking back in surprise when she noticed him. "Iris?"

"Uh…" She didn't have anything to say, but the look on her face told him she was in some sort of trouble.

"What are you doing up?" he wondered, mostly out of concern and hoping nothing was wrong with her. He walked over to her so they'd be able to talk quieter.

"I couldn't really get to sleep… I'm sorry! Please don't tell—"

"Hey, don't worry!" Emmet patted her head to soothe her, but she looked so afraid. It was almost amusing to him. "Your secret's safe with me, not that you'd get in trouble if I _did_ happen to say something about this to the Commander." The smile on his face appeared to calm her nerves, but it sure didn't do a thing for his own. At least talking to her made him forget about his troubles, albeit not for long.

"O-Oh, thanks," she stuttered, relieved. She was still unfamiliar with the routines of the base, having stayed for about three days since she was first taken there. So far there was no sign of her companion.

The adult nodded, still smiling goodheartedly, and asked, "What's keeping you up, missy?"

She didn't answer right away, probably thinking about _how_ to answer. This sort of hesitation made Emmet think that perhaps she had heard something coming from his room and she simply didn't know how to bring it to his attention. As luck would have it, his reasoning was incorrect as he listened to Iris' next string of words.

"I'm not too sure, myself. I guess I wasn't feeling tired enough." She shrugged, looking displeased with herself but not showing any other emotion beyond that. "I thought I'd walk around and see if that tired me out."

"Not working, is it?" Emmet's voice was sympathetic, and he didn't need a reply; he knew exactly what she would say, and he told her that she wasn't expected to sleep undisturbed every night. He offered to walk around the quiet base with her, to keep her company and to make sure she wouldn't go where she wasn't supposed to. Still, he remembered why he had gotten up out of bed in the first place and was intent on comforting himself, but he could not do that without the help of his older brother. Only he could offer guidance.

Iris gladly accepted the suggestion with a quiet nod, also curious as to why Emmet had not been asleep either. The two of them tried to make as little noise as possible as they stepped away from where they'd been standing for the last few minutes, but as they made progress they were startled by the appearance of a tall, formidable figure. Much to Emmet's relief he recognized it right away. His brother, as it happened, was easily awakened by practically anything, and so he must have heard their whispers from beyond his room — and as luck would have it, his room was very close to where they were. It was a chance encounter, but one that made sense to Emmet.

Although his face wore the imprint of sleep, Ingo was very aware of the two night owls that stood before him, and he typically adopted a sour attitude when he was roused from his nighttime journeys to dreamland. "What exactly are you doing at this time of night?" he demanded, although minding the others that slept among them and making sure his voice was hushed.

"We didn't mean to wake you…" Iris explained, surprised that he could apparently sleep so lightly.

"It's funny," Emmet chuckled, "he can hear more when he's sleeping than when he's supposed to be awake and alert."

"That's _not_ funny!" The older twin let out something of a growl, but he knew nothing could be done to amend the situation. He kept his head despite his frustration with his brother. "You know the slightest thing wakes me up."

"I'm really sorry, Ingo, but I would have woken you up anyway…" Just then Emmet's mood dipped, and he genuinely sounded like he wanted to confess something, which took Ingo and even Iris by surprise. "I know you have trouble sleeping but I really need to talk to you. See, I—" he stopped himself, realizing Iris was there and keenly listening. Emmet was unsure if he should continue with her around, but now that he had Ingo's interest he couldn't suddenly brush it off.

Iris asked if she should go so they could talk in privacy, but Emmet realized that leaving her with that burning curiosity he was certain she held would not be fair, and over the course of their time together he learned that she was trustworthy and understanding. He was very confident when he allowed her to remain and listen, but he decided it was best for all of them to hear him out in the security of his room. He ushered them in, and flicked on the small lamp that sat on his tiny desk. He sat back down on his bed and apologized profusely to his older sibling, who had been bearing with him without a complaint so far.

Emmet drew in a deep breath before he reluctantly explained. "I had that dream again."

It took a while for Ingo to register, but a look of astonishment washed over his face once he realized what Emmet was talking about. "What? You know how long it's been since—"

"I know. I don't even want to think about it," Emmet replied. He looked somber, keeping his gaze down as if he was ashamed. "But this one was bad. Maybe worse than before. I can't remember."

The other adult in the room said nothing and merely took a seat beside his troubled brother. It had been a while since he had to give him any sort of comfort, but he still remembered how to, and that it lifted Emmet's spirits somewhat.

"I never told anybody else this, but…" Emmet looked up at Iris, determination very plain on his features. He looked so solemn, so serious, it was unlike him. "I know you'll keep this to yourself once I tell you."

The girl nodded, promising to never reveal anything she'd find out.

It was hard for Emmet to begin, wondering how he should start off, but rather than organize his thoughts he went ahead and spoke the first things that came to mind. "When we were kids — little kids — we lived in a small town on the outskirts of the Empire. In fact, it was probably more like a village. Nobody there had any Zoids, so we had no protection. Everyone was pretty happy with they way they lived, I guess. I can't remember that much. Um, I think our parents worked for the community, but they didn't earn a lot, so we got by the best way we could. I remember hearing about Zoids from our father and wanting to learn how to pilot them, but he said we couldn't afford one until Ingo and I found some decent jobs once we grew up. But, um, anyway, one day there was a lot of excitement— we were about eight or nine? And at the time we were too young to really understand what was happening. But now I know: our village was under the attack of Republican rebels. It wasn't a very big unit, but there were enough Zoids to wreck the place."

Ingo picked up the dialogue where Emmet had paused. He figured he might as well help his brother out with the explanation, even though he wasn't completely in agreement with offering it in the first place. "Later on we found out that they were involved in a conflict between the Empire and Republic that occurred much earlier, but our forces overpowered theirs, and they must have felt resentful over their loss after all those years and launched an unwarranted attack on the village. But they hadn't been careful and their attack was soon after discovered by Republican authorities. They were promptly discharged and received appropriate punishment for their actions."

"Unfortunately, they had to take out their anger on us before the Republican Army realized they were a threat to others," Emmet added. "Anyway, one of their Zoids was a Gojulas equipped with a double-barrel MK-II buster cannon, which typically isn't deployed unless the Republican Army seriously needs the firepower, but the rebels basically stole it and had it fire directly on us." He grew more somber as he realized he was getting back to recalling his memories. He avoided eye contact with Iris even though he had been speaking to her, but he wouldn't even glance at Ingo either. "I remember people were running away, leaving for the nearest city on jeeps, and our parents had gotten us on one that couldn't hold any more people. I'm pretty sure they told us they'd go after we did and that we shouldn't worry, but they went back into the house — I don't know why — and as they got back outside, about to climb into another jeep that was waiting, the Gojulas fired right on their location and it wiped everything out."

So far Iris had been quiet while she listened intently. At that point she could gather why Emmet was awake so late in the night and could only imagine how deeply it must have affected them both, even to the present day. For Emmet to still have nightmares about it must be some indication.

He looked up at her at last and tried smiling just to put up a strong front, but that effort wasn't necessary. "I've never seen an explosion so big before or after that…"

"But what happened to you?" Iris asked, suddenly breaking her silence, but with a soft, quiet tone.

"We had gotten out of the blast radius before it could reach us. When we got to the city we stayed with some relatives who raised us until we were old enough to live on our own."

"We didn't know them very well," added Ingo, "but they knew a lot about us from our parents, and they treated us well. Besides, they had a better source of income, so they could afford to provide more for us."

"In fact, they had their own Sinker that they let us use. It was worn out but it helped us learn how to handle a Zoid. We were never very close to them, but we're grateful anyway for the things they've done for us," Emmet said, smiling softly in spite of his feelings. "It's just really sad that we spent more time with people who were practically strangers to us than with our own parents."

There was nothing Iris could say, other than apologizing, but that hardly made an impact. She was amazed by the story even though she had seen something like it coming ever since Emmet sat down to talk about it. These two men, seemingly brave and strong of heart and mind, now looked fragile and defenseless, mirroring their childhood, as if they had lost everything but their own lives, which was more or less true. These were the same soldiers of the Guardian Force that came to her rescue? The same that promised her they would get her home, when they had no home of their own? They had no one to go back to, no one to worry about them and care for them the way Iris still did. She still had family, and that was quite possibly the most precious thing. Ingo and Emmet knew that family was something to cherish and never take for granted, but they could only gain that knowledge after having lost their own. Now it was only the two of them that remained, and they were closer than the eye could see.

"So you see what my dream was about," Emmet concluded with firmness in his voice. "It's a nightmare I haven't had since I was about twenty. I almost always seem to wake up from it with tears in my eyes."

"We thought he would forget about the past once he became preoccupied with the Guardian Force," Ingo explained, "and that certainly appeared to be the case for a long time… until now."

There was a look of disappointment on Emmet's face, perhaps from his inability to come to terms with the tragedy. He had gone so long without thinking about it, and having the nightmare, that he strongly believed he had finally moved on. But it was obvious his was still tormented by what he had seen as a child. The cause of its return was unknown. Emmet could only assume it was due to his inevitable trip to the Empire. Maybe setting foot there would bring back even more vivid, terrifying memories that he had buried and forgotten.

"Maybe I left the Empire in the first place just to get away from everything that happened," he said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

"Is that why you joined the Guardian Force, then?" Iris asked innocently.

"Um, not exactly." Emmet wasn't prepared for that question, but then again with everything he was telling her she was bound to want to know more. He did not object to clarifying her assumption. "I joined the Force because I wanted to prevent attacks like the one my family went through from affecting other people. While I was growing up, I had this desire to uphold justice and try to make the planet a safe place for everyone. I know it sounds grand but my heart was really set on doing my part to protect the peace. I knew I could accomplish that with the Guardian Force."

"That's really admirable," the girl commented, awestruck. Emmet's goal was a very righteous one, and she could tell his determination was unwavering, regardless of his personal handicaps. It was obvious to her Emmet was happiest in his current position, like his dream had come true.

Even though he was the officer with the most regard on his team, he could not contribute his skills to doing more than completing minor missions. He wanted to help on a large scale, but so far his opportunity had not come. However, with the Republic and the Empire on such ill terms, there was a chance he could do something much more profound with the rest of the Force. In a way, he hoped for that.

Emmet smiled, pleased that Iris hadn't thought he was being too optimistic about himself and the rest of the world. It seemed as though he cheered up a little once the conversation traveled in a different direction. He was glad he could talk about it with someone other than his brother, who was probably bored of hearing the same thing.

"I know you understand how I feel, Iris," Emmet praised, also very thankful. "Ingo does too, but feels rather differently about the whole thing."

"Emmet!" said brother snapped, not expecting Emmet to bring him up in the discussion.

"See, Ingo thinks his calling is to protect the Empire and defend its honor first and foremostly."

"Not entirely true." The eldest frowned at his sibling and proceeded to clarify. "I _do_ believe that the Guardian Force is the key to establishing long term peace and ridding the world of serious threats. But you know as well as I do that it isn't possible to eradicate every single issue. I feel that my loyalty to my homeland was what drew me to its armed forces, so defending it is my priority, and certainly a much more reasonable duty. Plus, I really am not the type to be a hero, much less a hero of the whole planet. Emmet can have that if he wants — that is, if he can get it."

Emmet snickered at those last words. He was certainly beginning to lighten up. "I'm not looking to be the hero, either. I just want to do as much as I can to make everybody's lives easier. There shouldn't have to be as much violence and crime as there is now."

Hearing Emmet was very inspiring, but it almost made him sound naïve. Nonetheless, Iris was touched by what he and his brother were saying. They both had their own vision of the future and their own methods for getting there. Despite what they went through as kids and even young adults, they had a bright outlook for themselves. That was something Iris could learn from. She definitely looked up to the two brothers and often thought of them as hers as well.

"You guys are so thoughtful," she observed contently, smiling warmly as impressed as she was. "I don't know anybody else like you."

Emmet was flattered by her compliment, and did his best to appear modest. "Oh, don't say that! There are a lot of people like us out there. The Guardian Force is made up of people with those same ideals."

"And so are the Republic and Empire," Ingo added.

"I really do feel better now, though." Emmet stood up at last and graciously smiled at the girl. "Thanks for listening to me. And for keeping it all to yourself like I know you will."

"Will you be able to go back to sleep?" Iris wondered, now concerned about his well-being.

He shrugged, but appeared rather positive about his answer. "Maybe. I can probably get in a couple of hours of sleep. But it's way past your bedtime, little lady." He quietly escorted her outside, relieved to see that the hall was still empty. He let her go back to her room where he urged her to actually get some sleep rather than stay up all night. She was reluctant to do so, but she didn't want to take any more time away from him, so she wished him good night and walked quietly away in the dark. As for Ingo, Emmet prevented him from leaving. "I still have something to say, but just to you."

"You're not going to let me sleep tonight, are you?" Although Ingo made a smart remark, he wasn't kidding. He knew Emmet wasn't finished with him and would probably spend all night talking about whatever was still on his mind.

Back inside the room, Emmet awkwardly stared at his brother, whose arms were crossed as he waited for the next surprise. Neither were seated this time; they stood right in front of each other, staring one another down. Ingo didn't say a word; he knew Emmet would speak up soon enough, which was exactly what happened.

"Ingo, I've always been worried about us. Ever since we went our separate ways."

"I'm afraid I don't follow. What's wrong with 'us'?"

"You know how our family is so small. It's just you and I, basically." Emmet paused, grimacing as he conjured up the next part of his dialogue. "Well, with things being the way they are between the Empire and Republic, you know that if something goes wrong, the Guardian Force will have to respond. And—" he stopped himself, suddenly not confident enough to go on. But, of course, Ingo was worried, and he urged Emmet to tell him whatever he previously wanted to, even if it was hard.

Taking a deep breath, as if he was absorbing new confidence, he made himself confess: "You'd fight on the side of the Empire, and I'd be fighting for the Guardian Force. There's always been a chance we would have to fight each other."

"You're afraid that one of us has to be defeated."

Emmet nodded. He was ashamed of himself for thinking that way, but the possibility _was_ there. "I don't want to take you down, but I know I won't have a choice and neither will you."

Ingo broke eye contact and looked away, pensive as he thought about this revelation. "I see. I understand what you're saying. I would be concerned about that, too. However, I'm here, with the Guardian Force, now. If a situation required action, I would be fighting alongside you."

"I know! And that's a relief for me," Emmet replied with a sigh. "Unless the Empire calls you back, though."

"Doubtful. I am not an asset to them."

"I just wanted you to know that. The thought of having to neutralize my brother is really scary." The younger sibling smiled weakly, almost sympathetically toward himself, and was relieved to know that Ingo didn't feel he was being silly. "I probably couldn't bring myself to do that."

"But you realize that we probably won't know we'd face off against one another until it is too late." Ingo was sympathetic in turn, but rather than offer comfort he gave Emmet something else to think about. In the heat of battle, they would not bother to identify each other when so much would be at stake. They wouldn't even know that one would have shot down the other. That fact was hard to live with, but that didn't stop either of them from giving their all for their duties.

At least with Ingo now a part of the Force, Emmet could find comfort in fighting _with_ him — until he had to return to the Imperial Army. Then, Emmet would have to live with the worry all over again.

"So," Emmet mumbled, "you don't think I'm being dumb?"

The older twin smiled in amusement at his brother's insecurity. "No, of course not. In all honesty, the thought of encountering _you_ in a battle has crossed my mind before as well. But I know, because of my inferior ability as a pilot, the chance of that happening is slim. I'm a better foot soldier. The army wouldn't send me out in the middle of a battle between Zoids."

Emmet appeared to relax upon hearing that. "You think so? I suppose that's true. But I can't believe you're _that_ bad as a pilot…"

"Never mind that," Ingo replied. "Don't worry so much about something that has little chance of actually happening."

"…Yeah, I know. I guess deep down I kind of wish that you'd have gone to the Guardian Force with me. But I know you had your own mind to make up."

A smile crept upon Ingo's face, who was rather touched to know how much Emmet wanted them to be together. It was also a sign of how fearful he was of losing his only sibling. With Ingo and Emmet on the same side, they could keep an eye on each other. That's probably what Emmet wanted, but there was no way for them to spend every moment of their lives together. They were adults, after all; they had their own things to do which didn't always involve their family. However, with such a strong bond, they would never truly be apart.

Ingo nodded at his brother, appreciative of the fact that Emmet respected his own wishes and decisions. "I have always felt the need to protect and serve the empire in which I was born — in any way that I can."

"We both have our own paths to follow. I'm glad that I can always count on you, though." Emmet smiled, this time genuinely. "Thanks for understanding me, brother."

"You have no reason to thank me," Ingo corrected, "since it's my _other_ duty, after all."

"What, being around for when I need you?"

"Precisely."

Emmet huffed, but in good spirits. "Of course you'd say that. I've kept you up long enough, so you'd better get some shuteye."

"Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Don't worry, I'm feeling much better now." Emmet dragged his twin outside, hauling him to the door of his room. "Sorry for keeping you up. Well, good night."

"What's left of it," Ingo added for his own amusement. He gave his brother a reassuring smile and wished him a good night in return. After withdrawing back into his quiet little room, Emmet was left alone again.

Even though he was slightly anxious about going back to sleep, he really did feel better after letting everything out. His brother was a tremendous source of comfort, but even Ingo couldn't chase away the bad dreams. Hopefully the rest of the night would be peaceful for the little brother. Emmet returned to his room, staring at his bed with some trepidation, but he was determined to not let his demons get the better of him. Slowly, he crawled back in, pulling the covers right over his head like a child fearful of the monsters in the closet. Although sleep had left him completely, he tried to lull himself back into that state so he could have at least a couple of hours of rest.

His nightmares would not drive him to madness nor depression; they wouldn't have the chance. Emmet _promised_ himself that he would not allow those ghosts to torment him for the rest of his life. Now that Ingo was physically much nearer to him, he would take advantage of that and use his brother's support to finally slay the phantoms of his past. As far as Emmet knew, it was the only way to stop them.

As the night sky turned a softer shade of blue, the day crew of the division would soon be up and about. But that mattered not to Emmet, who managed to fall soundly asleep and even snore in the face of dread.


	6. The Fifth Day

Five days had elapsed and there was still no sign of the crown prince of the Empire. Fox Hunt went about its business, still very alert for the arrival of the prince and Iris' disoriented friend as well. On the morning of the fifth day, Emmet and Grimsley had gone out to complete a rather simple task, which required nothing more than two competent pilots to handle it. Meanwhile, Skyla and Ingo had stayed behind to watch over the base in Grimsley's stead. This left Iris with no companionship ― except, of course, Colress, who was seemingly always preoccupied. Aside from commanding his officers, he worked on his own independent studies. Apparently he was adept at multitasking. But now he added Iris to his list of responsibilities.

She was allowed into the control room so long as Colress or another trustworthy adult was there to moderate her activity. She knew better, though, than to touch things she wasn't familiar with. Mindful of the consoles and gizmos, she kept her hands to herself.

The commander of the division kept his eyes on the monitors above, his attention possessed by something interesting. Iris couldn't exactly tell, but she didn't ask about it. The poor thing was bored and had a strange curiosity tingling inside her; she wondered what made the blond man standing in front of her tick. She hadn't gotten to know him as she had with the others. He was very different from the rest, and he appeared untouchable.

The fact that he was rather distant and never really talked about himself was a factor for that perception. Seeing him so studiously watching whatever was displayed on the monitors was really admirable; it showed how focused he was on his job.

"Um…"

Colress was startled by the sudden sound he heard from Iris, who had been very quiet since she entered the control room. He turned to look at her, registering her physical condition first before asking what she wanted. "Something wrong, Iris?"

"Not really," she answered uneasily. "Sorry if I distracted you!"

"Oh, you didn't. It's fine." He smiled and backed away from the console he had been leaning over to join Iris' side. "It sounded like you wanted something, though."

Iris shook her head slowly, but she was unsure of what to say. Yes, she kind of wanted something, but at the same time she didn't want to pull him away from his work. "I guess I just have nothing to do. No offense! I mean, it's not like you're being boring!"

Colress could not help himself when he wanted to laugh, but he was able to control his reaction and made it appear as if he was fighting it. "Actually, I'm quite bored myself. In all honesty I'd like to leave this job up to someone else."

"What are you doing, anyway?" The girl looked up at the monitors and could not figure out what some of them displayed. Many were showing the images from the security cameras that were positioned throughout the inside and outside of the base, with some directed at the Zoids on patrol. But there were other monitors, with numbers and gibberish she didn't completely understand, that she was mostly curious about.

The adult pointed at the very monitors Iris was confounded by, and explained, "You see those screens that are displaying data? That is detailed information on the Zoids that are currently in use. I've implemented a system that gives me the statistics on a Zoid's condition, such as the damage it might've taken, how much ammunition it's carrying, the temperature of the cockpit and so on. It's almost like a type of software that 'downloads' the Zoid's data from its computer and 'uploads' it to the database here. It's installed in every Zoid that we receive."

"And you can keep up with all of those numbers?!"

"Obviously I'm be able to, otherwise I wouldn't be a scientist," he answered rather jokingly, but what he said _did_ make sense. "I'm a man of facts and figures. It's part of my life. Luckily, we usually have a few Zoids out at a time, so I don't have all that much to look over. Take today, for instance; four of our Zoids are active, and the condition of each is being fed continuously to the computer, which receives and presents changes as they happen."

It became clear to Iris that the information on the screens was more important than Colress made it sound. However, he wasn't keenly paying attention to it at the time, so he must have known what he was doing. It was _his_ system, after all. "So you'll know about something that goes wrong with the Zoid before the pilot is aware?"

"Yes, that's often the case. I rely on this technology to help me with my research, as a matter of fact."

"What are you researching, anyway?" Iris asked, a little anxious about prying too deep. She had heard from the other personnel about his long sessions holed up in the command center which doubled as the hub for his studies and personal work, and she always wondered what it was that he had devoted his life to. Still, there was no harm in asking.

The expression on his face changed to one of mild surprise, but he smiled nonetheless, almost pleased. "You don't know, do you?"

"I wouldn't be asking… If you'd rather not tell me―"

"Oh, no! It's perfectly fine with me!" Colress _grinned_, which was a sign of his joy at the chance to talk about something he held dear. By no means was Iris' question intrusive. "I enjoy talking about my work. However, I don't want to bore you even more."

"I doubt it," the girl said reassuringly. "I really want to know!"

Colress kept a smile on his face as he relaxed himself, ready to speak. He really hadn't met anyone who was as eager to hear about his research as Iris apparently was. It made him very content, and he dared to forget himself in his passion as he spoke. "The main focus of my work is to find irrefutable proof of a Zoid's sentience, but that is coupled with the _other_ point of my research, which is to bring out the untapped power within a Zoid that can only be accessed through a strong connection. The only way two things can form a bond is if they are both capable of perception and emotion."

"You believe Zoids are alive!" Iris observed with much enthusiasm, genuinely surprised that a scientist, of all people, believed in something considered taboo at the time. She, too, believed strongly in the hearts of Zoids, but could never disclose those thoughts with anybody other than her friend, and now apparently Colress, too.

"I know it sounds farfetched," the Commander explained, "but there is a lot of evidence already to support my claim. Besides, whether there's evidence or not, I know that Zoids are truly living things. I have this… inexplicable, deep feeling about it." He smiled bashfully, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden from giving such a childish answer.

Iris didn't laugh at him, nor did she give any argument. She was happy to hear him say what he did; it reinforced her own beliefs. There were other people like her, who thought like her, but were just as nervous as she was when they talked about Zoids in that way. She agreed with Colress, told him that she felt the same way. It was then that she realized she had felt very comfortable in his presence, almost as if they had spoken some time before. As he spoke and opened up about himself, a warmth radiated from within him. It was odd; Iris hadn't detected that from him before, but she was mildly familiar with that sensation.

It was pleasant, though. That helped her develop her opinion of him, which so far had been a positive one. He turned out to be so much nicer than she originally thought. Not to mention his way of viewing the world proved to be highly fascinating.

She continued the discussion and asked, "So, you've always felt like that? Because I have, pretty much since I was really little."

"I think I needed to study things a little closely so that I could better understand Zoids," he answered, slightly distant as he recalled his memories. "I was a child when I started thinking that Zoids had a soul of their own, but I formed that opinion after I became familiar with the workings of a Zoid."

"So let me guess," Iris concluded, "you decided that studying Zoids was the best thing you could do with your life and you felt an obligation to show the world what they're _really_ made of."

"To put it bluntly, yes," he laughed, not at all bothered by the way she summed up his career. "As soon as I finished with school I became an independent researcher, and astonishingly I managed to round up a few colleagues who shared my vision. I wasn't contacted by the Guardian Force until much later."

"Then how long have you been here?"

"Not long. I'd say six years, maybe seven years." Colress spent little more than half a decade dividing his time between researching and commanding a specialized military group. He honestly amazed himself with how he could handle all of that at once. "At first they wanted me to make scientific contributions to their own group of researchers, but after I displayed what they called 'an ability to lead junior officers in time of danger' they promptly appointed me to command a small division. This one."

Iris' eyes lit up with admiration, and she smiled to hear how he ended up a commander of the group that rescued her. She was so inspired that she felt a great desire to join them; become a member of Fox Hunt who could contribute and pay them back for what they did for her, and what they were _currently_ doing by providing her with refuge. She was eternally grateful.

"I have to say," Colress started, "I'm very proud of my officers. They've done a lot of improving since the admirals sent them to me. Each one has become more mature, more confident― they've made great strides. I don't want to sound like it's because of me. But, I must have helped in some way."

"You should be proud of yourself, too," Iris chimed. "I bet if it wasn't for you they wouldn't be at the level they're at now! You trained them all so well!"

Colress couldn't accept such a bold compliment. He blushed at it, but shook his head frantically. "No, no! They improved on their own, because they were willing. I only guided them. Helped them along when they needed it. I only happen to be in charge of them."

"But you _did_ train them to work in the Guardian Force and under its code."

"Helped them become accustomed to it." Colress would not let her convince him that he had much to do with the ability that his charges had now possessed ― and they would keep growing. "They had military experience prior to entering Fox Hunt. Emmet doesn't count, either, since he joined the Guardian Force straight away. I fine-tuned him more than anything else."

"But you had to teach the other two," Iris argued with a sigh. She didn't think his skull would be so thick.

The adult whimpered, smirking a little coyly. "Maybe. All right, maybe I worked more with Skyla and Grimsley. But out of the three of them, Emmet has shown more ability. He's the top pilot here, and he didn't serve a military before transfer. I had nothing to do with his tremendous skill, either. It's simply in the pilot."

"I guess that's true, too," Iris answered, less enthusiastic than before. She hadn't seen any of them in battle, where they could really show off their talents, but she took Colress' word for it. "It helps that they're close to their Zoids, too."

"If only they all were," said Colress with mild wistfulness. "Grimsley doesn't have that faith; Skyla is unsure; only Emmet really believes in that. So you're right ― having a bond _does_ help with performance, as I'm trying to prove."

Iris was confused by this, fully believing that everyone on Fox Hunt was pretty close to their Zoids. Then again, she hadn't known them long enough to establish that kind of confidence. None of them had talked about their Zoids, either, so that provided her with even less information. "But everyone looks really close with their Zoids," she protested out of disbelief.

"It's more like sentimental attachment, Iris," corrected the commander. "To Grimsley, the Command Wolf is only a tool; something he uses to get his job done. Like a car, for example. Yes, he takes care of it and is attached to it, but that's in the same way you would with an item you've owned for long enough." He paused, reflecting for a moment, before continuing. "I feel bad for his Zoid. I can't imagine how it tolerates being treated that way ― like it has no feelings, no mind of its own. He has no regard for what it might want."

"When you put it that way it sounds like he isn't nice to it at all…"

"Don't get me wrong! He's very kind, very loyal and dependable. His only real flaw lies within his mentality, which to the general population would appear to be completely normal. He doesn't push his Zoid too far, so he at least wants it to keep out of serious danger, but aside from that… there's not much else."

Interesting. Disappointing, too, but interesting. It begged for further thought, and Iris would have to give it just that. She knew Grimsley had a good heart, but it turned out his heart wasn't with the Zoids that he was surrounded by, much less his own. But he had to have _some_ feeling about it. Iris was sure of that. From what Colress had told her, Grimsley had no personal relationship to his Command Wolf, but was that absolute? Honestly, she had doubts.

"And what about Skyla? She's not sure about how she feels, right?" Iris asked, a small look of concern on her face.

Colress nodded plainly. "Sometimes she's enthusiastic about her Zoid having a personality and being 'one with it' when they're engaged in battle. But other times, she's expressed doubts. In fact, she's so confused by her own reasoning that she puts it out of her mind. She doesn't think about it at all and ends up approaching her Zoid in much the same way Grimsley does with his."

That's two.

"So… what about Ingo? They're brothers, so―"

"I don't have much data from him yet." Colress gave her an apologetic smile, not able to answer her the way she'd expected. "He hasn't been here very long, and he's not gone on enough missions to supply me with what I need to know. But from personal interaction, and observing him with the other members, he appears to be very distant. He doesn't open himself up; only when it's needed. I feel he's the same way with his Zoid. It's a shame, really. I naively expected him to have the same beliefs like that of his brother's, but of course they're two different people. It's still very early to be sure, however, so there is a lot I can still learn about him. He could merely be unsettled with his existence here and isn't comfortable enough to express himself freely. I'm rather hoping Emmet might be able to influence him to some degree." He smiled fully. "It would be of great help."

"I'm pretty sure he'll come around," Iris replied, attempting to encourage him.

Their conversation appeared to slow down, neither of them having much else to say. Colress had gone back to watching the monitors, although he stayed right where he was, while Iris mulled things over. She reflected over what she'd learned, quite pleased with the new information. Her own feelings were examined, too, possibly being compared to those of the people she was surrounded by. Colress hadn't told her about how Emmet's beliefs were any different from that of his teammates', but she knew that wasn't necessary since Colress had confirmed her previous guess. Besides, she would want to talk to the twin personally about it, anyway.

Still, she pondered something. Deep inside her consciousness, something nagged at her, provoking her to say something which she had kept solely to herself for the longest time. Suddenly she felt like she could confess, but only to the Commander who was so far the only person to give her a reason for it. The fact that he and she both held the same beliefs, Iris thought that she could chance sharing her innermost thoughts with him. After all, he proved to be open-minded. What was the harm?

She took a breath, ready to start from _somewhere_, but as luck would have it, her timing was off; a communications operator in the command center promptly alerted the Commander of a development. She sighed, in a way relieved. She couldn't share her concern with other people around. They didn't need to know.

"Commander, we're receiving a transmission from an unknown source."

"Can't you trace it?" Colress wondered, suddenly fully focused. He walked over to the employee's console, leaning over it and staring at the smaller monitor that was installed on it. "Is it an emergency signal?"

"No, sir, it's a signal made by a Zoid's communication system. It's coming from a Zoid, but not one of our own."

"…Patch it through, then."

An image appeared on the monitor, the interior of a cockpit and a pilot displayed. The pilot was young, a boy in his late teens with messy, brown hair, and he had a pleasant look on his face. "Commander Colress, right? I'm glad to finally speak to you."

The Commander jerked back a little, saluting the child that had addressed him so courteously. "Your Highness! It's good to see that you're well! I have to say it's surprising that you contacted us this way. I'm terribly sorry about your grandfather. We all send you our sympathies and hope that he's resting peacefully now."

Iris perked up in amazement. _Did he just say 'Your Highness'?_

"Thank you, Commander. That means very much to me. My grandfather would appreciate the kind of service you'd be giving me and the Empire. I know this is rather short notice but I wanted to let you know that I'll be arriving at your headquarters within a day, or a little after at the most. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting all this time, but the Empire had to give me some… instructions. I think this should give you enough time to prepare your crew, but I'm sure you've done that already."

"That's fine, and that's right, Your Highness. We're all ready and waiting for the moment you arrive! You can rely on my officers to do the job." Colress sounded very proud of himself, probably as a measure of convincing the young prince that he would be in good hands.

"I have no doubt about that," replied the boy. "I'm looking forward to meeting you and your crew in person. See you then, Commander." Transmission concluded.

Iris was brimming with anticipation, scurrying over to Colress and grinning so widely. "That was the prince?!"

"Exactly," replied the adult. "Prince Nate of the Empire. The only heir to the Imperial throne. He'll arrive tomorrow, most likely. So we'll all be mindful of him and the loss of his grandfather, right?"

"Come on, I know! I'm just really excited to meet actual royalty! You'll let me meet him, wont you?"

"Of course. He'll meet everyone since he'll be staying for a little while before we escort him to the Imperial palace," Colress explained briefly. "Now, I need to announce this to the entire base and go over the necessary preparations, so I think you should be running along. We'll have plenty of time to talk later on."

Iris agreed to leave and bounced her way out of the control room, gleeful that she'd have the opportunity of a lifetime, and at the same time grateful that Colress hadn't forgotten their earlier conversation. If he mentioned they'd talk again, he meant it. Iris was hoping, when that happened, she'd be able to get her uncertainty off her chest. He'd be the only one to help as far as she knew. For the time being, she focused on greeting the crown prince, who happened to be much younger than she had thought previously. Finally, the day of his arrival was at hand.


	7. His Imperial Highness

The dawn of the sixth day signaled the end of their long wait; finally the members of Fox Hunt would know when to expect the crown prince. Because of his earlier communication, the group was confident they'd see him soon; not at all at the latest. Grimsley's patrol was tighter than ever, even having a few junior officers join him for increased detection. He was a man used to handling these things on his own, but he'd rather not have to put up with his commander's nagging. Silently he did his duty, as the other members of his patrol party had also learned to do. More out of intimidation, they chose not to interact with him unless needed.

But Grimsley wasn't a scary fellow. His friends could attest to that. However, his attitude toward Imperials was generally known to be disagreeable; it was the hope of all that he would keep his reservations to himself when in the presence of the Empire's very own prince.

It was no sooner when Grimsley had splintered away from the small group that he detected an anomaly on his radar. A single dot was all he'd picked up, but it was enough—it approached, so putting him on alert. The Command Wolf pressed on with its pilot intending to meet the vessel. It was obviously a Zoid, but its specifications were not yet collected. Grimsley could see, however, something gray emerging from the rippling distance.

"Commander," he announced through a private channel, "I've detected a Zoid approaching. Stand by for identification."

The Wolf slowed, halting after a few more paces. As the other Zoid came into better view, Grimsley could make out that it was a Saber Tiger: black, carrying an intimidating cannon, adorned with gold trim and gold shoulder plates, and inscribed upon them was what looked very much like the Empire's official emblem. It had to be none other than the Royal Saber Tiger. Only the Imperial family had ever piloted that Zoid, and with its distinctive appearance, it was easily deducible that the crown prince was in proximity. For a child, he was surprisingly punctual.

Feeling quite confident that he'd taken notice of their guest before any of the others on his patrol, the Wolf's pilot opened up communication with the headquarters once more, very sure that Imperial presence was among them and alerted them to the fact with a certain smoothness in his voice. His commanding officer gave him praise, proceeding to dispel the added patrol members. Grimsley was pleased when he took a look behind and noticed the assisting Zoids turn back into the hangar. This job was all his now, as it should have been.

Within extended moments, the clearly identified Saber Tiger slowed, stopping abruptly before the crimson Wolf. There was no denying this Zoid belonged to Imperial royalty. It and the Command Wolf appeared to lock gazes, studying each other briefly as their pilots might have done the same. The few seconds of silence passed before the newcomer greeted the Guardian Force officer.

"Hello!" he said simply, cheerily. "You are Grimsley, I take it. You guard the perimeter of your base."

"That's me, Your Imperial Highness."

"You sound a little shocked," the boy observed with a healthy sense of humor. "The Empire supplied me with your group's files. You could say I know quite a lot about you all."

"Good to know that the Empire doesn't overlook a thing, does it?" Grimsley remarked harmlessly; although there was a bit of scorn in his commendation. His indignation tended to slip out once in a while. "We best get you situated, so follow me."

Thus, the crown prince obediently traced Grimsley's path, following him close at a steady, calmed pace. There was no need to confirm identities—they were assured by their Zoids' computer logs that each pilot was indeed who they claimed to be. In practically no time, Grimsley led his charge to the hangar doors, and proceeded to inform his commanding officer.

"Colress, get us inside. Trust me, he checks out."

In an instant, the heavy doors slid open, allowing the passage of the pair. Grimsley's escorting was short-lived, and he promptly moved his Command Wolf aside to allow the Tiger through. It stopped only after a few steps, its pilot not wanting to take up any more of the sparse room available.

As Colress and the rest of his officers poured into the hangar, Grimsley instructed the crown prince to dock his Zoid at the predetermined space that had already been prepared prior to his arrival. Both pilots docked their Zoids, then dismounted.

With a grand smile, Colress greeted, "Your Imperial Highness! It's an honor to have you among us at last! Allow me to extend our sympathies for the loss of your grandfather. We know this has to be a difficult time for you."

The prince, in all his youthful bliss, approached the Commander before giving him a curt nod. "It's good to see you in person, sir," he replied, not as ecstatic, but still cheery. "And thank you for your concern. I know my granddad would be so pleased with what you're doing for me, and for the Empire. Also, I hope you forgive my dress: I know you might have been expecting something more… _extravagant_?"

Colress hadn't realized it, but upon the boy's mention, he saw that he indeed had been wearing very casual clothing. A black double-breasted coat over a pair of crisp white trousers, and a pair of what looked like riding boots—also black.

"Ah, no, not at all, Your Highness. I have to admit," Colress answered, "that in this weather, your choice of clothing is very bold."

"It was the very least I could please the Empire with!" the boy laughed, fanning himself for emphasis. "Air conditioning is a blessing. By the way, please call me Nate. In fact, I'd like to be as _informal_ as possible while I'm here."

Colress understood this request and made sure to confirm the same with his crew. Upon their acknowledgement, the Commander proceeded to introduce them to their guest.

Gesturing at them, he began; "Let me formally introduce you to my officers—Emmet, Skyla, Ingo, and Grimsley over there whom you've met." The threesome beside Colress all saluted at their esteemed visitor, greeting him with a "Your Highness!" Ingo, especially, was more humbled, more sentimental toward the young prince. After all, he had served the nation which would soon be under Nate's reign.

"Uh, yes, Your Highness. Welcome to our headquarters," added Grimsley with a salute of his own. He hadn't been so formal until now, and the prince gave him a grateful nod when he glanced behind.

"Thank you, all of you," he said to his audience. "You're too kind. But, please, while I'm here, think of me as any other kid—like that one." He gestured at something beyond the adults with a sincere smile, directing their attention to the thing he was looking at.

There, quietly standing and listening, was curious Iris. She flushed red when everyone's eyes set on her. She was discovered. She shrunk back at first impulse, but knew it proper to go forth.

"Iris!" Colress exclaimed, almost squeaking.

"S—sorry," she stammered, embarrassed, but walked on. "I didn't want to interrupt…"

"It's no trouble, really. So your name is Iris?" Nate grinned, suddenly jovial with her appearance. "I didn't know the Guardian Force allowed kids to join."

"Ah, well," the Commander began to explain, "she's staying with us temporarily. We found her accidentally, but at just the right time; she was lost in a ruin, in great danger, and Emmet and his brother rescued her."

Nate's eyes seemed to shine in amazement. His royal status did not erase the fact that he was still a child, and so still wondered at many things. He was happier now, knowing another child was in his presence. Finally, someone he could relate with.

"I'm glad to meet you, Iris!"

"It's an honor to meet _you_!"

"It'll be nice to have someone to talk to. No offense to the rest of you," the prince said as he excused himself to the adults in the room. "I'm always talking about, you know, Imperial stuff. I've been so bored of it lately."

The two kids could have gone on and on, but Colress found it necessary to break up their little back-and-forth before it got out of hand. "Pardon, but I believe we should get you settled in."

Somewhat embarrassed that he let himself wander, Nate suddenly turned to the group's superior and agreed to go along. "Right, I'd forgotten." He looked back at Iris then. "We'll talk later." And so he was ushered off, waving at Iris with a content little smile as he exited the hangar.

She and Grimsley stayed behind, watching the small party leave while they walked toward each other. They took some time to keep away, either for different reasons.

"If this keeps up, we'll turn into a daycare," was Grimsley's smart comment before shooting his company a coy grin. He meant it in good spirits. Iris could only look cross with him. Joking together, they soon went after their friends.

—

The prince had found himself comfortably settled among the Guardian Force, what with their ceaseless activity—save for dusk, when things calmed—and all the company that surrounded him. He was spared any discomfort by Iris, whom he frequently sought to engage in conversation. She was only too happy to oblige. They chatted often, and the crown prince hardly remembered he was soon to be escorted back to his homeland.

He was to stay with his new companions for only a few days at the most—the sooner he could return to the Empire, the better. He made the most of his visit, however, and especially enjoyed looking at the group's Zoids.

A day had gone by since he arrived, and he was given free roam of the base. He was a cheery boy, and managed to get along very well with most of the crew members. Grimsley, once not so eager to become close to him, began to feel more comfortable with the boy's presence, and allowed him to enter the hangar practically whenever he wanted. Nate of course promised to behave; but his word need not be given, as he was believed to be responsible and careful.

He found himself spending the most time with Iris, however, enjoying her company and their topics of conversation most of all. As kind as the others were, he could relate to her the most, and he figured he should keep her entertained with a level of conversation she'd feel familiar with. Both were surrounded by adults, and finding they were suddenly in the same place as each other, thought it only natural to seek each other's attention.

With the Command Wolf routinely out on patrol, Nate found the perfect excuse to stay outdoors and watch the Zoid and its pilot at work. He was accompanied by Iris, who had just as much fun watching the Zoid. It was the second day of his stay, and he'd settled in rather comfortably.

"So, what's the Empire like?" the girl asked with eager curiosity. She had asked him all sorts of questions regarding the position of emperor and what he'd been preparing for, specifically. Now she wondered about the country itself, and felt no one could better answer her inquiries than Nate.

"What about it, exactly?" he laughed, unsure how to approach such a broad question. "It's big, we've got a lot of rural areas—the Republic is more developed—and we've got a lot more tradition. We make a lot of quality stuff which is well known to the rest of the planet, so I guess that really helps out our infrastructure."

Iris nodded. "But what are the people like? Are they really friendly or… the suspicious type?"

Nate was at a loss. The people he knew were mostly politicians, government advisers—no one really average. "For the most part we're friendly. I mean, our civilians are varied, like everyone on Zi, but I guess we've got a good reputation." Soon he'd meet the common folk. He'd have to.

"What about the Zoids?"

"Can't you give me an easier question?" he laughed again. "Our Zoids are great! We have a lot of pride in our Zoids, and a bunch of regular people have them at home."

"So you really love Zoids! Do people there…" Iris paused to craft her question carefully. His answer would be important. "Um, do people think of their Zoids as _friends_, almost?"

"I haven't asked anyone, I don't know," he answered with a shrug. "I guess people would get attached. As for me: I'd say I'm really close to my Zoid, even if it doesn't reciprocate. Not that I'd expect it to, but I almost see it as a friend of my own, you know? Actually, it's got to be the only friend I have. I know that sounds really silly—"

"No way!" Iris exclaimed. "I think that's great! I think everybody should be friends with Zoids!"

Nate was a bit stupefied at her sudden burst of energy, but replied, "I think so, too. I mean, that way our Zoids would last a lot longer and we'd have to take better care of them." He smiled thoughtfully. "You've heard about the junked Zoids littering the planet. Really good, new Zoids, getting used up so much that they're not even fit to be revived. Literally hundreds of Cores go to waste. It's no good."

"I've heard," Iris replied, just as glum, "it's so sad. Those poor Zoids… and not enough people seem to care."

"It's actually a good business to collect inactive Cores and Zoids, and process them into other things. It's kind of ironic how we still use something long after it's been made useless by us. Like we have to milk it for everything it's worth."

The children sat together in remorseful silence, as if holding a moment of silence for the countless abused and destroyed Zoids. Whether or not the prince believed Zoids had souls, Iris knew he cared about them either way, and that was good enough for her.

Seeing the Imperial Command Wolf over in the distance, doing its duty as it actively and serenely padded across the wasteland, gave the prince some relief; it was proof that there were people out there who _did_ care, and who would never dare to push a Zoid beyond its realistic limits. That was partly what the Guardian Force was about—conserving resources and appreciating the use they got out of their Zoids. Perhaps that was why they always accepted second-hand units no longer effective for official military use.

Nate cheered up, attempting to change the mood. "Come on, at least people like you and I are out there, and we love Zoids!"

"Yeah," Iris said with a vague nod. She tried to smile too and added, "I'd love to have my own Zoid some day, but I have to learn to pilot first."

"Piloting is great!" Nate assured with a grand smile. "What kind of Zoid is your favorite?"

"I'm not sure—"

"Iris, and Nate," interrupted Colress as politely as he could. He walked over to the shaded area they'd been sitting in, coming from the base directly to have a word with the crown prince. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I have new developments concerning Prince Nate."

"Commander," the boy greeted. "Let's hear it."

"Thanks to speedy communication on both ends, we've arranged your departure for tomorrow, bright and early."

"I guess that's the end of my vacation then, huh?" Nate joked with some pessimism. "Thank you, Commander. I'll be ready by then. I've really enjoyed myself here, and I thank you for all your care."

"Don't mention it," Colress said. "You'll have two escorts, by the way. Emmet and Ingo will do well, and there is no indication of bad weather. Please enjoy the rest of your stay, Your Highness."

With a bow, Colress left the kids, and just as Grimsley was returning from his rounds. Once again, the pair was left deflated, but of course they knew they couldn't expect Nate to stay longer. They stopped talking, sharing only comments of disappointment, and soon retreated back to the cooled interior of the base. There was not much time anymore, and Nate thought it best to leave a few things prepared right away. He parted company with Iris, leaving her on her own in the middle of the building.

She didn't want to make it known, but she was more disappointed than she let on. With her hands behind her, she paced through the halls as she made her way to her room. Grimsley had seen her as he entered from the hangar, and noticed how different her mood was as her figure made apparent. He didn't say a word, assuming it best to let her sulk. He wasn't concerned, not watching her long enough for her to notice, before he went his own way to take a break.

Iris didn't like the idea of saying goodbye to a new friend. They had just met, just started to understand one another. How long would it be until they came into contact again? Would Nate even remember her? She wasn't even able to answer the last thing he asked her…

That's when she remembered Lucas. He was out there, and she had all her faith in him, in the possibility of him coming close to the Fox Hunt base. Iris was not alone. She had a friend already, and now had another—and that didn't include the adults she had come to know. She brightened at this thought, and resolved to make Nate's leave a cheerful one. There was no reason for them to part ways on a sad note.

Iris stepped into her room once she reached it, and sat on her bed as she gave serious thought as to what kind of Zoid she really considered her favorite.


End file.
